Arteta hits back at Arsenal critics and says his team have made ‘big strides’ this season | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal have made “big strides” this season and believes they could have been much worse off because of the circumstances they have had to deal with.

The Gunners are now 11 points behind league leaders Liverpool with 12 games left to play, following the defeat to West Ham on Saturday.

But the Arsenal boss defended his side, claiming they have overachieved given the injuries and the fact they have been shown five red cards during the campaign.

“I think we have made big strides this season,” he said. “Big time. Because we should be in a very different position with everything that has happened.

“There is not a team in Premier League history with five red cards and the amount of injuries that we have that are in the position that we are today.

“It’s one of my proudest moments but this group could have gone (signals downhill). There is something that has held in it. That foundation, that culture, that mentality, is what is holding that.

“What does not achieve mean? What is that? That we are first and leading or everything is a disaster?

“What is that? Many other fans think something very different.

“That (the title) will be decided at the end of the season. We have to understand the circumstances that we had as well and we are still where we are.

“We are not here to justify anything, we are here to win. That’s it. And to win the next game, to win the previous 15 and the next 15. That’s it. And to win the Champions League if we can. That’s the objective, that’s clear.”

Arteta earlier refused to give up in the title race, and insists his players will keep fighting to win it despite the significant gap between them and Liverpool.

“They know that the table looked very different a few days ago and how it can look in two or three weeks so you cannot get carried away,” Arteta said.