Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock end alarming two-game run of Arsenal defeats as Gunners earn first away league win under Arteta
Thursday 25 June 2020 21:47, UK
Mikel Arteta says "winning is the best medicine" after Arsenal got back on track with a 2-0 victory away at Southampton.
The Gunners returned to the south coast five days after surrendering a lead at Brighton and eight days on from their humbling defeat at Manchester City.
But Arsenal drew a line under the back-to-back defeats as opportunistic goals in either half from academy graduates Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock earned Arteta the first away Premier League win of his tenure.
"We got a reaction; we got the result we needed," he told Sky Sports. "In the second half we could have played much better with the ball, it was a struggle, it was warm.
"We could have won the game earlier, but we were really good. I asked them to be a team, to defend each other and to enjoy competing together.
"We are so fortunate to be where we are and, as a team today, I liked what we saw.
"Football is about maintaining the right level of energy and passion. When you lose, you lose a little bit of that so winning is always the best medicine."
After Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had rattled the Southampton crossbar, Nketiah gave the Gunners the lead on 20 minutes, getting his just rewards for charging Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy down with a close range tap-in.
Arteta said Nketiah's goal typified the work-rate he wants from his players, adding: "I demand high pressure all the time.
"When you are on the front foot with pressing, that is what happens when you provoke mistakes in the first line."
Nketiah strike was his fourth since returning from his loan at Leeds in January and the sixth the has scored in 11 starts in all competitions this season.
"It was a very important three points," the 21-year-old said. "We have been unfortunate, and we knew we had to roll our sleeves up and fight for the win.
"Southampton came out really strong in the second half and we worked hard in the heat to keep going.
"We work a lot on our high press and for me personally, I always try to give my all and I could smell the uncertainty from the goalkeeper.
"I have done it hundreds of times so I'm glad one of them has led to a goal."
