Arsenal were stunned 2-1 by a spirited Southampton side in their FA Cup quarterfinal at St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday night.
The Gunners had two early chances via Max Dowman and Gabriel Martinelli, with the latter’s effort superbly blocked by Taylor Harwood-Bellis. But Southampton were not overawed. Loo Scienza raced through one-on-one with Kepa Arrizabalaga before being successfully marshalled away from goal by Cristhian Mosquera.
Speaking to the press after the match, a frustrated Artera took full responsibility for the shock loss.
“I love my players, what they have done for nine months,” he reflected.”I’m not going to criticise them for losing here. What they are putting their bodies through, some didn’t have to be here today. I’ll defend them more than ever.
“If someone has to take responsibility that’s me. We have the most beautiful period ahead of us. Normally you have two or three moments like this in a season, this is the first moment with a level of difficulty. Let’s stand up and make ourselves count.
“No excuses about players that are missing or that are here with issues. Let’s look at ourselves in the mirror, accept the situation, rebel against it and go forward with clarity.”
Southampton stopper Daniel Peretz was called into action to parry away Martin Odegaard’s strike. He had another chance moments later, blazing a close-range effort over the bar, much to Arteta’s frustration.
And he would have felt much worse when Ross Stewart fired the Saints ahead with a clinical finish at the end of a swift counterattack, as James Bree’s ball looped over Ben White and allowed the Scotsman to fire home past Kepa on the 35-minute mark.
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