Arteta demands response from Arsenal after Brighton 'lesson'

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Mikel Arteta says Arsenal's 3-0 defeat at Brighton is still weighing on his players ahead of Saturday's return to Premier League action against Leeds United. Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the Arsenal manager made clear that three weeks of international football have done nothing to ease the sting of that result.

The loss at the Amex Stadium was Arsenal's first Premier League defeat since April, and arguably the most one-sided performance of Arteta's tenure in terms of how comprehensively Brighton dominated. Asked about the lasting impact of that afternoon, Arteta did not shy away from how raw it still feels.

“The pain is still there in the tummy, and tomorrow we certainly have to play with that because it was a lesson for us,” he said. “There was a lot to learn from that game, when you don’t hit certain basics in a football match, especially against a really good side, you become almost unrecognisable, and it can happen.”

Arteta described the gap between Arsenal's best and worst as narrower than many might assume. “It’s been more about learning from who we are and how thin the line is, from being exceptional to becoming very average, and that’s a reality,” he added, while also pointing to the context of a congested opening block of fixtures compounded by a heavy international schedule.

Sixteen players away on duty

Sixteen Arsenal first-team players represented their countries during the break, and Arteta said watching them perform on the international stage offered some reassurance after the Brighton setback. “How good our players are, because when I watched them travelling the world, playing with different national teams, and the incredible impact that they had for the national teams, it gives you reassurance as well,” he said. “Then, when they come, they have big smiles on their faces, so they feel at home, and they are happy to come, and this is a great thing to feel.”

Leeds arrive unbeaten

Daniel Farke's Leeds United have not beaten Arsenal since May 2003, but they travel to the Emirates on the back of an unbeaten start to the season. Arteta was quick to dismiss any notion that his side's record against Leeds makes this fixture straightforward.

“When I watch their games, no [I'm not surprised]. I think they fully deserve where they are because they’ve earned it,” he said. “We know their qualities, we talked to [the players] in the last two days, and we are fully ready for it.”

Arteta also addressed the early 12:30pm kick-off time, insisting it was the perfect opportunity to put things right in front of the home crowd after such a long gap since Arsenal's last match at the Emirates. “The way and the atmosphere that we have created in recent months has been unbelievable, and we need to make sure that we start by creating that,” he said. “We have pain in the tummy for what happened in Brighton and it’s on us as well to get the pain that they still feel out of it. It’s our responsibility, and we need to give to them now.”

Arsenal will look to answer those words with performance when Leeds visit north London, aiming to show that the Brighton display was an aberration rather than a sign of deeper issues. Quotes via Arseblog News.