Mikel Arteta has urged his Arsenal squad to turn the sting of their weekend loss into fuel for Tuesday’s Champions League fixture against Shakhtar Donetsk.The Gunners suffered a surprising 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday, a setback exacerbated by the first-half red card shown to William Saliba. The result left Arsenal trailing Premier League leaders Liverpool by four points.Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Monday, Arteta stressed that the loss shouldn’t trigger panic, as it marked Arsenal’s first defeat since April.“Defeats are part of the sport, and this one happened under very particular circumstances,” Arteta said. “We need to move forward, use the disappointment we’re feeling to drive us tomorrow night.”The day the Gunners fell silentThe Arsenal manager reflected on the need for perspective after the unexpected defeat.”Of course, we aim to win every match, but we’ve created a tough situation for ourselves. We’ve been dealing with injuries, a tight schedule, and challenging fixtures. It’s a reality we have to face. We didn’t escape with a result this time, and that changes the narrative. But let’s remember, we’ve lost just one game in six months. Now, it’s about getting back to winning ways.”##EDITORS_CHOICE##Arteta also touched on the issue of discipline, as Saliba’s red card made him the third Arsenal player to be sent off in just eight Premier League matches this season, following earlier dismissals for Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard.“Being reduced to 10 men is a challenge, and we’ve faced it too often,” he admitted. “Each red card has its own reasons, but we can’t keep playing a man down, especially at this level. We need to eliminate these mistakes — why they happen isn’t the focus. It’s about making sure they stop.”🗣️ Mikel Arteta: “We have to start [a new unbeaten run] tomorrow…” 🔜😤pic.twitter.com/hdbyql8dzc— DailyAFC (@DailyAFC) October 21, 2024 The fitness of Bukayo Saka remains uncertain, with Arteta noting that the winger, who missed the Bournemouth game, will be evaluated ahead of Tuesday’s clash at the Emirates.Arsenal are aiming for their second win in the Champions League group stage after a goalless draw with Atalanta and a 2-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain.Arteta also expressed his empathy for Shakhtar Donetsk, who have been playing their Champions League “home” games in Germany due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.“What they manage to do, continuing to compete at this level despite such challenges, is truly admirable,” he said.UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – ROUND 3Tuesday19:45: (1.45) AC Milan (4.40) Club Brugge (7.25)19:45: (1.40) Monaco (5.30) Crvena Zvezda (8.00)22:00: (1.10) Arsenal (11.0) Shakhtar (18.0)22:00: (1.62) Aston Villa (3.80) Bologna (5.80)22:00: (1.20) Girona (8.00) Slovan B. (14.0)22:00: (1.87) Juventus (3.50) Stuttgart (4.20)22:00: (1.45) PSG (4.50) PSV (7.00)22:00: (1.50) Real Madrid (4.40) Dortmund (6.50)22:00: (8.00) Sturm (4.70) Sporting (1.40)Wednesday19:45: (1.45) Atalanta (4.50) Celtic (7.00)19:45: (6.25) Brest (4.70) Leverkusen (1.48)22:00: (1.53) Atl.Madrid (4.00) Lille (6.75)22:00: (2.40) Barcelona (3.60) Bayern (2.80)22:00: (1.62) Benfica (3.90) Feyenoord (5.60)22:00: (1.07) Man.City (13.0) Sparta Praha (25.0)22:00: (4.00) RB Leipzig (3.60) Liverpool (1.90)22:00: (1.75) Salzburg (3.60) Dinamo Zagreb (4.90)22:00: (8.00) Young Boys (4.70) Inter Milan (1.40)***odds are subject to change***
