Arsenal boss Arteta happy top four finish in their hands | OneFootball

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is happy their top four hopes remain in their own hands despite a humbling defeat at fierce rivals Tottenham on Thursday.

Arsenal were brushed aside 3-0 by their north London neighbours at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, meaning the battle for the final Champions League spot is likely to go down to the wire.

Despite such a dispiriting loss, Arsenal hold the upper hand as maximum points from their last two matches – at Newcastle on Monday and Everton next weekend – would render whatever Spurs do irrelevant.

"Two games and two wins is a good place to be," said Arteta, whose side finish their campaign by welcoming struggling Everton to the Emirates Stadium next Sunday.

Having had time to reflect on their humiliation earlier this week, Arteta was similarly keen to take the positives.

“Obviously losing like that is always painful," he added.

“But, as well, you learn a lot, probably more than with any victory. So it is good to go through those moments, sometimes.

“We knew that losing was a possibility. To get into the position that we are in, a lot has happened in the past. We have been through it, we have experienced it. Hopefully that can help us on Monday."