Jesse Marsch vowed his Leeds United side will "fight for our lives" after dropping into the Premier League relegation zone with a 2-1 loss to Arsenal on Sunday.

Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier gifted Eddie Nketiah an early opener, and the Arsenal striker, who spent 2019-20 on loan at Elland Road, added a second with just 10 minutes played.

The visitors inflicted more damage on themselves after 27 minutes when Luke Ayling, making the 500th appearance of his career, was sent off for lunging in on Gabriel Martinelli.

Diego Llorente did manage to pull one back through Leeds' first effort on target in the 66th minute, but they were ultimately left with too much to do.

A second loss in a row for Leeds, coupled with Everton's 2-1 win at Leicester City, means they will end the day in the bottom three for the first time since October 30.

Leeds have spent 16 days in the relegation zone this – five fewer than Arsenal, who made a poor start to the season with three defeats in a row.

Marsch accepts Leeds were victims of their own mistakes at Emirates Stadium but is hopeful his side will respond in their remaining three fixtures.

"I think we had a really bad start and dug a hole for ourselves, which we didn't need to," Marsch, who succeeded Marcelo Bielsa in late February, told BBC Sport. 

"At half-time we talked about keeping our composure and treating the game like it was 0-0. That's what we did.

"We are in a difficult situation. We have to regroup and figure out what we can do. Our backs are against the wall. We are in the relegation zone, but we have to fight for our lives.

"When I arrived two months ago I knew this wasn't going to be easy. The group's stayed strong. Our second-half performance highlights the character of the people we have.

"The fans and the support at this club is unreal. We want to put a performance on the pitch that honours that support."

With their 95th and 96th yellow cards of the season, Leeds set a record for the most bookings for a club in a single Premier League campaign.

They now host Chelsea and Brighton and Hove Albion in successive home games before travelling to Brentford on the final day of the season.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have won four successive league games while conceding at least once each time for the first time since a run of five in February and March 2012.

Following Tottenham's 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Saturday, the Gunners now hold a four-point lead over their fierce rivals in the battle for fourth place.

Should Arsenal make it five top-flight wins a row by beating Spurs on Thursday, they will secure a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2016-17.

"We know that, and we have earned the right to play that game in that context," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who signed a contract extension this week, told BBC Sport. 

"Winning any match is extremely difficult. We are going to prepare for the game as best as we can.

"We started extremely well today and were determined, creating chance after chance. And then playing against 10 men it is always more complicated.

"We controlled the game really well. It became nervy, and you start to defend that result."

Mikel Arteta believes his new contract will clear up any doubts over Arsenal's future direction and be a major factor in the club's recruitment and retention drive.

The manager has committed to a two-year contract extension at Emirates Stadium, with his previous deal having run to the end of next season.

It means he is now set to stay at Arsenal until 2025, ensuring stability at the club.

Arteta revealed a number of Arsenal stars had been asking him about his future before he committed to an extended stay, with the announcement coming from the club on Friday.

Asked when the players learned the news, Arteta said: "They found out this morning. Some of them had been asking me in the last few months because they had questions about their individual futures.

"I want zero distraction about that. It's clear for the future."

Arsenal sit fourth in the Premier League and are looking to lock down a top-four finish to ensure a return to the Champions League, having last featured in that competition in the 2016-17 season.

They face Leeds United on Sunday, with Arteta hoping a feel-good factor can carry Arsenal towards their goals.

"I'm delighted, because from both sides we have shown a real commitment of what we want to do together in this beautiful journey," he said of his new deal.

"The plans and the vision that we shared are the reason why I'm doing it, and I think the club is doing it because we share the same belief, the same passion, and the same level of trust about each other and how we're doing it, and I'm really excited about what we can do together."

Speaking in a news conference, Arteta said: "The club was so decisive and committed to do it now.

"They wanted to bring clarity starting from ownership about what we were doing and show the stability and commitment to the project, and don't have to worry in the summer about any of that. When we want to recruit players or keep the players we want, they can see a clear path in the future and there is no question mark.

"I'm extremely happy here, and this job is still a lot to do."

Arteta indicated he was offered his new deal after the run of losses to Crystal Palace, Brighton and Hove Albion and Southampton in April.

That has been followed by wins over Chelsea, Manchester United and West Ham, and now lowly Leeds await, with Jesse Marsch's team battling to avoid sliding into the Championship.

The Emirates Stadium clash is therefore a high-stakes affair for both sides.

"It's a lot to play for, and obviously the situation they are in, they're going to show how much they want to get out of that zone as quick as possible," Arteta said.

"For us, it's the defining moment in the season, after everything we've done, so we want to capitalise on what we've done in the last nine or 10 months."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has agreed a two-year contract extension at Emirates Stadium.

Arteta's previous deal – signed when he was appointed in 2019 – ran until the end of next season. He is now set to stay at Arsenal until 2025.

The Spaniard, who won the FA Cup twice as a player with the club, led the Gunners to Wembley glory in 2019-20.

Progress has since been steady, with Arsenal now in pole position to return to the Champions League for the first time since 2016-17, when Arsene Wenger was still in charge.

With four games of the season remaining, Arsenal are fourth, two points ahead of rivals Tottenham, who they play next week.

Mikel Arteta maintains hope of pipping Chelsea to third, although he expects Arsenal's bid for Champions League qualification to go to the wire after an "ugly" win at West Ham.

Arsenal played in Sunday's late Premier League game after third-placed Chelsea and fifth-placed Tottenham played earlier in the day.

Chelsea lost at Everton, but Spurs beat Leicester City to briefly move ahead of their rivals into the top four.

Arsenal came up with a vital response, however, edging West Ham 2-1 at London Stadium to reclaim fourth place and close to within three points of Chelsea, with Thomas Tuchel acknowledging concern regarding his side's Champions League hopes.

Manager Arteta was not impressed with the Gunners' performance but recognised the importance of the victory.

"We didn't concede goals, but we didn't play so well," he told Sky Sports. "If I had to analyse the game, I would use a word that is to win ugly. Today we won ugly.

"Big teams have to find a way to win ugly when they don't play at their best, and today with the ball we were really poor."

In his news conference, Arteta was asked if this below-par display might have been linked to the pressure of Tottenham playing – and winning – first, but he dismissed that suggestion as "just an excuse".

Arteta is attempting to own that pressure, insisting he could not keep the Spurs score from his players.

"I think I would be wasting my time," he said. "If it's not the players, it's the staff, because everybody is with their phones, and they all know.

"So, we all knew the result beforehand, and the next week I don't think that is going to change; until the last day of the season we will probably be connected."

But Arsenal could yet climb further up the table, with Arteta asked if third place was now the aim.

"Mathematically, everything is open," he replied, "so we're going to have to go to Leeds and win again, because everybody's going to put pressure because everybody wants to play in the position we are in now.

"We have to handle that. It's a great opportunity, and that willingness and motivation that we have is what is driving us to continue to do so."

Arteta was without Ben White, who is to be assessed following a hamstring injury sustained against Manchester United, while Takehiro Tomiyasu and Bukayo Saka both had to be substituted.

The Arsenal boss assured Saka was simply "really fatigued", and Tomiyasu could not last the 90 minutes in his first start since New Year's Day, but Arteta was not concerned.

Arsenal cannot replicate the meteoric rise of Liverpool due to financial restraints and the Premier League becoming more competitive, says Mikel Arteta.

Jurgen Klopp signed a new deal to keep him at Anfield until 2026 on Thursday, signalling an intent to extend Liverpool's dominance that has them hunting an unprecedented quadruple.

Liverpool are profiting from a transformation in the club's fortunes, underpinned by astute signings and the development of players into world class stars.

The Gunners, meanwhile, are fighting for fourth in the Premier League – a competition they have not won since 2003-04 – with their last trophy being the 2019-20 FA Cup.

While manager Arteta respects the route Liverpool took to return to a force to be reckoned with, the Spaniard believes Arsenal must forge their own path.

"There are things you can try to compare, and you can acknowledge how other clubs have been through these processes and these phases of a project, like Liverpool," he told Sky Sports.

"But what the league was six years ago and what the league is today is completely different. Those leagues were won with 83, 84, 86 points. Now you need 95, 96 or 100 points to win the league.

"The context is completely different, so what was good three or five years ago is not good anymore, because the standards are so high.

"We need to focus on what we want to do and how we are going to execute it, and not look too far ahead."

Arsenal visit West Ham on Sunday as they look to build on their two-point advantage over fifth-placed Tottenham, who they face in the penultimate week of the season in what could decide Champions League qualification.

Once this season is complete, Arsenal face a crucial transfer window in order to become more competitive, with Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus reportedly a top target.

Arteta reiterated that Arsenal cannot duplicate the success of Liverpool's signings, given the club's financial restraints.

"I don't think we are in a position where we can do that, so we have to find other ways to do it," he added when asked in reference to Klopp signing both Alisson and Virgil van Dijk for record fees at the time.

"Liverpool, as well, have improved their players immensely, which is as important as bringing players in. And then, the ones that you buy, [it's important] that they can have an impact straight away.

"That's a big decision they have to make in recruitment, and then they are human beings as well. They have to adapt, and sometimes that's a tricky question to answer before they are actually here.

"We want to make the squad stronger, we want to make the starting XI stronger, we want to make the specificity and the personality of our players stronger, and that's what we are going to be seeking to do.

"It will depend on many factors. How many players are back from their loans, with the commitments we still have with them, our financial position in relation to where we finish; the clubs' demands when we want to buy players or sell players.

"There are a lot of question marks there, but this is football. We've been through a lot in the last two seasons and we are going to try to manage it in the best possible way.

"The good thing is that the plan is clear, but the plan is just the plan until you start to work through that plan. Then, every decision and every situation is going to allow you – or not allow you – to be as close as possible to that plan, which is our aim."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hailed the mentality of Bukayo Saka to bounce back from Euro 2020 final penalty shoot-out heartbreak, while he implored the Gunners to capitalise in the top-four race.

Saka missed the decisive spot-kick for England against Italy in early July, leading to a wave of online racial abuse towards him and international colleagues Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford.

Arteta previously suggested the penalty failure would aid Saka's development and resilience, and the 20-year-old has supported his manager's comments with his best Premier League season to date.

Saka has scored 11 times in the league and assisted five more as Arsenal battle with Tottenham for the final Champions League qualification spot, while he has made amends from the penalty spot in recent weeks.

Indeed, he became the youngest player ever to score a penalty in consecutive Premier League appearances following spot-kicks against Chelsea and Manchester United in the last two games.

Arteta confirmed Saka will again be on penalty duties should the chance arise at West Ham on Sunday as the Spaniard heaped praise on the England international.

"Well, if someone has to take a penalty, he will take it," Arteta told reporters at a pre-match news conference on Friday.

"Again, but it happened quite naturally in the Chelsea game, he took it and the next game we had another one and hopefully he can continue to put the ball in the back of the net.

"The first two conversations that I had [with him] it was straight after the incident [at Euro 2020], but Gareth Southgate was really helpful as well because he had Bukayo in his hands at that moment and they were really caring and really supportive of him, so by the time he joined us, he was in a really good place.

"Obviously, he got all this support and love and help in any way that he needed it to overcome that situation and then it's down to him and his family around him that were very helpful for him."

Arsenal have been inspired by their younger players this season, with Emile Smith Rowe just the second Gunner to score 10 or more Premier League goals in a season, after Nicolas Anelka in 1998-99 (17).

Fellow youngster Eddie Nketiah also netted twice to guide Arsenal past Chelsea earlier in the month, and Arteta believes club experience helps his youthful squad when they go on international duty.

"I think they're doing it at their clubs and that's really, really important so again, the step of demands is not that high, they are already key and important players in their own clubs," he added.

"So they're used to that pressure and at international level it's something very different, but I think they have the maturity and they have the capacity to sustain that level under pressure because they're doing it every week at their clubs."

Arteta will be hoping his young Gunners can deliver again when Arsenal visit fellow top-four chasers West Ham on Sunday, looking to improve on their two-point lead over fifth-placed Tottenham.

However, the Arsenal manager warned to expect more changes heading into the final weeks of the season as teams battle for European football next campaign.

Asked whether the fight for fourth place was a two-horse race, he responded: "I don't think so, there will still be some twists and turns, we all have difficult matches to play.

"We all know how difficult it is to win games in the Premier League and now we had two really good results that put us in a really good position. But it is about doing it again at West Ham.

"I think in the league when you are able to win consecutively away and at home, it gives you a huge platform and things quickly change.

"We have some momentum now and we want to make the most out of it."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was overjoyed to see how much Granit Xhaka's relationship with the fans has improved after his starring role in Saturday's defeat of Manchester United.

Xhaka got Arsenal's third goal at Emirates Stadium, drilling in from long range to put the game beyond the Red Devils.

United had previously threatened to wipe out Arsenal's lead, which had been 2-0 in the first half before Cristiano Ronaldo's well-taken goal.

But Xhaka's strike dulled United's momentum, and the Switzerland international enjoyed a rapturous ovation when he was withdrawn towards the end of the Gunners' 3-1 win.

It marked a significant change in fortunes for Xhaka from when he routinely seemed to be at odds with the fans, revealing recently in an article for the Players' Tribune that he nearly left the club over "pure hate" from supporters, claiming his bags were packed in December 2019.

"I was dreaming of that [ovation] because he deserves it," Arteta told reporters after Saturday's win.

"If any fan would individually spend five or 10 minutes with Granit, or even two minutes, because that's all you need, they would understand the person that he is, the professional that he is and how much he cares about the club. But the history was there.

"I think he made, I would say a risky move, when he opened up and expressed completely his feelings, but as well he's done that because he's prepared.

"He feels that environment is going to protect him. He feels loved at the club and the response I think it was great.

"Thank you to the fans for showing that appreciation to him because I know how much that means to him."

There has been a massive overhaul of players at Arsenal over the past few years, reflected by the fact Arteta has consistently named the youngest starting XI on average this season.

Xhaka, 29, is something of an outlier in terms of age and experience, and it was put to Arteta that the midfielder's longevity was somewhat surprising given his past issues.

"We need some balance in everything that we do, especially with the characters and the personalities that are in that team," Arteta said of Xhaka's continued association with Arsenal.

"With the youth academy players that we are bringing in, with the signings that we made, with the quality that we had on and off the field, Granit in my opinion was going to have a key role and he was going to have a key leadership role to achieve what we wanted."

Mikel Arteta never doubted he had what it would take to lead Arsenal after the Arsene Wenger dynasty – even if he was kept waiting for the top job.

The Arsenal manager paused only briefly to consider the ramifications of taking over a team built by Wenger and developed in the Frenchman's fashion.

It was Arteta's fearlessness regarding the possibility of failure that persuaded him to take up the Gunners post in December 2019, a full 18 months after he came close to being Wenger's immediate successor.

The Unai Emery era separated his Arsenal reign from Wenger's 22-year spell in charge, and Arteta has gradually built up the north London giants to the point where a return to the Champions League is tantalisingly close. A long-term plan to revive the glory years is showing progress.

Asked whether the prospect of having to shape a club previously led for so long by one man crossed his mind, Arteta said: "It did, but it was tiny in comparison with the excitement and the opportunity that I saw to join this club, and try to do what we all want to do, which was to take the club where Arsene took it at the highest level.

"That desire was much bigger than the worries of failing."

Arteta has now been at the helm for almost two and a half seasons, and Arsenal, who face Manchester United on Saturday, are battling for a top-four Premier League finish.

United have laboured to move on from the Alex Ferguson era, and Arsenal have had their own struggles since Frenchman Wenger's heyday, with their decline beginning while he remained in post.

They last played in the Champions League in 2016-17, so to return there would be a feather in Arteta's cap.

Arteta was widely tipped to succeed Wenger in 2018, before Emery, now with surprise Champions League semi-finalists Villarreal, was surprisingly given the job.

"It was close, but things happen for a reason and it probably was too soon," Arteta told a news conference. "People made decisions, and they made a different decision."

Arsenal sit fifth, behind Tottenham on goal difference and three points ahead of a United side who have played one more game.

They are rebuilding impressively, albeit with a few bumps in the road along the way.

"The expectation this club is going to have is always to be the best, because we're going to compare all the time to the beautiful moments that we lived together here," Arteta, a former Arsenal midfielder and captain, said.

"What I'm saying is: do I really enjoy what I'm doing and how I'm doing it? Yes, because I know what we can do, what our potential is and where we want to take it.

"The rest is just fear because you're going to fail because you are looking there.

"You need to understand when you can get there and especially how you're going to do it. The 'how' is clear. It's probably a matter of time.

"But if you start to go there and try to find the 'how' when you don't have the tools to do it, I think you're going to struggle."

Mikel Arteta expressed his delight for Eddie Nketiah after the striker's first Premier League double saw Arsenal respond to a poor run of form with victory at Chelsea on Wednesday.

A frantic first half at Stamford Bridge saw Arsenal twice pegged back by Chelsea, after Timo Werner cancelled out Eddie Nketiah's opener, and Cesar Azpilicueta restored parity following Emile Smith Rowe's goal.

Nketiah delivered again after the interval before Bukayo Saka's penalty sealed a 4-2 victory as Arsenal moved level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham in the battle for Champions League qualification.

In Nketiah, Smith Rowe and Saka, Arsenal also saw three English players score in the same Premier League match versus Chelsea for the first time since September 1996.

Arteta reserved much of his praise for Nketiah, who proved his worth to the Gunners by scoring his first top-flight goals in over a year – since an injury-time equaliser versus Fulham in April 2021.

"What I've been saying all the time about Eddie, when you look at him in training and how humble he is all the time, good things happen," Arteta said of the forward.

"Good things happen to good people. He has proven that all season and he hasn't given any signs of anything different. If I'm happy for anyone it's him, because I know what he's been through. 

"The same with Mohamed Elneny and Rob Holding."

Manager Arteta also hailed the adaptability of his side, who ended a three-game losing streak with the success over Thomas Tuchel's European champions.

"The way they started the game was tactically really demanding, they kept changing their shape and we had to adapt," the Spaniard told Sky Sports.

"We managed to grab a little bit of the game, we looked dangerous on the counter-attack, we scored four goals and conceded twice.

"After two difficult weeks it's a great day. What I love is the spirit of these players. When you lose matches you get punished and criticised but with these players I don't care because they're growing.

"For us to win a London derby away the way we did it I'm really happy as well."

Arteta then added to reporters: “I said to them if you want to play Champions League football you have to come to places like this and win.”

Arsenal will be hoping to carry the impetus from the win over Chelsea when they on Saturday host fellow top-four chasers Manchester United, who have played a game more and are three points behind the Gunners.

Eddie Nketiah scored his first Premier League double as Arsenal got their top-four hopes back on track with an entertaining 4-2 victory over Chelsea. 

Mikel Arteta's faith in Nketiah was rewarded as the 22-year-old ended a wait for a league goal that stretched back to April 2021 with the opener at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. 

Timo Werner scored in consecutive Premier League games for just the second time in his Chelsea career to restore parity, before Emile Smith Rowe put Arsenal back in front. 

Cesar Azpilicueta got another equaliser for Chelsea, but he was at fault for Nketiah's second and a stoppage-time penalty from Bukayo Saka as Arsenal ended run of three straight defeats and went level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham. 

Andreas Christensen's bungled back pass was pounced upon by Nketiah and the attacker slotted a cool finish past Edouard Mendy to give Arsenal the lead in the 13th minute. 

Chelsea hit back four minutes later when Ruben Loftus-Cheek won possession high up the pitch and Werner unleashed a shot that deflected in off Granit Xhaka. 

Arsenal narrowly avoided gifting Chelsea a chance to take the lead and transitioned into a rapid counter-attack that finished with Smith Rowe placing a curling shot into the bottom-right corner. 

The Blues drew level before the break, though, with Mason Mount's excellent delivery steered home by Azpilicueta. 

Christensen made way for Thiago Silva at half-time, but Arsenal were back in front 13 minutes after the restart. Azpilicueta gave the ball away and Nketiah made the most of a couple of fortunate ricochets to double his tally. 

Azpilicueta then hauled Saka to ground in the box and the England winger fired the spot-kick home in the 92nd minute as Chelsea succumbed to a defeat that left them in danger of being dragged into an unexpected top-four battle.
 

What does it mean? Shoddy defending costs Chelsea 

Chelsea have lost three straight home games in all competitions for the first time in almost 30 years, and some sloppy errors brought on their latest defeat. 

They gifted Nketiah a pair of goals and were caught short when their high press was beaten ahead of Smith Rowe's strike. 

The Gunners were by no means in good form at the back, but some crucial blocks from Gabriel helped them secure a huge three points. 

Sublime Saka 

Marcos Alonso struggled to cope with Saka's dribbling ability as he proved extremely dangerous when Arsenal counter-attacked. He capped an all-action display with a deserved goal at the death.

Lacklustre Lukaku 

Thomas Tuchel handed Romelu Lukaku his first start in over a month, but the Belgian failed to impress. His 22 touches were the fewest of any Chelsea starter and he missed the target with his only attempt on goal. 

What's next? 

Arsenal entertain Manchester United in a game that could be key to their top-four hopes on Saturday, while Chelsea have another London derby against West Ham the following day. 

Mikel Arteta has called on Arsenal to bounce back from a slump in form when they visit Chelsea on Wednesday.

Arsenal slipped to a 1-0 loss at Southampton on Saturday as they suffered a third successive Premier League defeat, the third such occasion under Arteta in three seasons.

That leaves the Gunners level on points with Manchester United, who play Liverpool on Tuesday, and three behind fourth-placed Tottenham, who have played a game more.

While manager Arteta acknowledged the frustrations with his side's recent returns, the Spaniard insists Arsenal's desire remains intact as they fight for Champions League qualification.

"At this club, it's only about winning, and they were three different games, but with the same outcome," he told reporters on Tuesday at a pre-match news conference. 

"We are extremely unsatisfied with that, we know that, we're hurting, but at the same time we know how we lost and what we merited from those games are not reflected in the amount of points that were taken.

"We have to understand why we lost those games as well, but there is nothing to look back on. Everything is still to play for, our ambition is still intact, our desire is still intact.

"We know the challenge ahead and we're going to go for it."

Arteta also suggested the mood in the Arsenal camp is still high as they prepare to face Chelsea, who could complete a league double over the Gunners for the first time since 2015-16.

"I have been very clear with why we have lost the games and then give them more support and confidence and be behind them because it is what they need and what we are going to need altogether between here and the end of the season," he added.

"When things go well it's easy. It's all about 'we' but when things don't go that well, maybe it's about 'him'.

"I hate that and I'm the first one to try to apply myself to do that, defend our players, protect them and let them be who they've been because they've been pretty good to be fair."

Chelsea may have lost their last two home games in all competitions, against Brentford and Real Madrid, but Arteta appreciates the size of the task at Stamford Bridge.

"We have to be at our best against the best team in Europe that showed last year what they can do with everything that they have and with the ability that we have as well," he continued. 

"We're going to go there as always to win the match and that is going to be our intention tomorrow when we're at Stamford Bridge."

Arsenal have lost their last two away league London derbies, at Brentford and Crystal Palace, and are aiming to avoid defeat four straight league losses for the first time since March 1995 under Stewart Houston.

Mikel Arteta urged Alexandre Lacazette to focus on the task at hand with Arsenal amid speculation the striker could leave the Gunners.

Frenchman Lacazette desires European football next season, and is eyeing a move to a Champions League side after failing to make a single appearance in the competition for Arsenal.

The 30-year-old suggested, in an interview with Canal Plus, that former club Lyon are among several interested in signing him when his contract expires at the end of the season.

While Arteta understands it is up to Lacazette to decide his future, the Spaniard implored him to concentrate on the current challenge with Arsenal as they fight for a place in England's top four.

Arsenal head to Chelsea on Wednesday in the Premier League sitting three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, who have played a game more.

"He doesn't need to tell me what he does in his own life but he has and we've discussed that and he's entitled to do that," he said of captain Lacazette at a pre-match news conference on Tuesday.

"His contract situation allows him to make the decision about the future. We have expressed clearly what our intention is, to speak in the summer when we know where we are and what we're going to do in the future together. 

"For the rest, I just want him fully focused on his duty, which is now defending Arsenal in the best possible way like he's done all the time when he's been with us, and that's why he's been wearing the armband of this football club, so that's a big risk.

"The contracts start and end with the expiry date that you have agreed on the day that you put the pen down, and then you have to live with the consequences of that.

"That's the reality of the contract that he has and the commitment and the duty he has with the football club.

"That is the agreement that we made with him. That was our position, and our position remains the same - that this is what we are going to do.

"Then it's up to him because it's not about us or him, it's about both parties."

Lacazette missed training and was absent with COVID-19 against Southampton on Saturday; the Gunners suffering three successive losses in the league for the third time during Arteta's reign.

As Arsenal aim to avoid four consecutive league defeats for the first since March 1995 under Stewart Houston, Arteta was unsure whether Lacazette would return in time.

"With Laca we are assessing him today to see if he is available with the team, obviously as you all know he had Covid so he’s been away for a few days," he added.

"So we're trying to get [how] he's feeling and where he's at if he can contribute somehow with the team."

Should Lacazette leave in the close season, that may make room for fellow striker Eddie Nketiah, who is becoming increasingly frustrated with a lack of minutes.

"He is right to be upset," Arteta added. "This is what we want from the players that haven't had the minutes.

"Especially Eddie, because if there is a player in the dressing room that deserves more chances, that is for sure Eddie.

"It's not about pressure to play him, it's about trying to put a team there that can win football matches, and you believe that has the best possible chance to win it.

"Then just pick the players, regardless of the situation. We could have gone for a completely different approach and played him even less or don't give him any opportunities, or don't put him in the squad.

"We have to treat every player with the duty that we have. They are our players, we want to get the best out of them. With Eddie I said many times as well how much I rate him.

"We have big plans for him at this club for the future, and this is where we are today and we have to accept that reality."

Mikel Arteta described Arsenal's 1-0 Premier League defeat to Southampton as a "huge" missed opportunity in their bid to claim a Champions League qualification place.

Jan Bednarek scored the only goal of the game on the stroke of half-time as the Gunners slumped to a third straight top-flight defeat.

Arsenal would have moved level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham had they won, with Antonio Conte's side suffering a last-gasp loss to Brighton and Hove Albion earlier in the day.

As it is, they ended Saturday in sixth after Manchester United's 3-2 win over Norwich City saw Ralf Rangnick's men leapfrog the Gunners into fifth.

Arsenal were the dominant side at St Mary's, taking a whopping 23 shots and enjoying 76 per cent possession.

There have been 11 instances of a team failing to score having taken 20 or more shots in a Premier League match this season, with Arsenal responsible for three of those.

While frustrated at missing the opportunity to take advantage of Tottenham's slip-up, Arteta believes on another day his team would have won comfortably.

Asked if it was a missed opportunity at a media conference, Arteta responded: "Huge, because for somebody that doesn't know the result and is watching the game, you know what they will tell you… that Arsenal won the game, and we didn’t. It's very disappointing, and difficult to explain with words.

"But this is sport, it’s what makes it different to any other, because in basketball you have 25 shots and the winner has one and you win 10 out of 10 times.

"At the end of the day it is decided in the boxes. They scored one goal, and for the amount of time that we spent around the box, the shots that we had, and the situations and the clear-cut chances that we had; we didn't put them in the goal.

"I can’t remember a game where Arsenal has played with this team, where they have created and dominated in a game more and better. 

"We have to win football matches and we have to score more goals, and that’s a problem we have at the moment."

Arsenal started with a front three of Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, with Alexandre Lacazette self-isolating after testing positive for COVID-19. 

Arteta refused to criticise the trio but suggested Arsenal would not have drawn a blank had a more experienced forward been on the pitch. 

"It is what we have," he added. "The players that we have, they haven't done it in this league. When you have a world-class player that has been playing in the league for 10 years, probably you are not sitting here.

"But I am the first one to defend them, to support them. You see how hard they tried. What happened today might happen the next week or the next month."

Arsenal are back in Premier League action on Wednesday when they travel to Stamford Bridge for a derby with Chelsea, before taking on Manchester United at home next Saturday.

Sean Dyche deserves a statue outside Turf Moor after his dismissal by Burnley, according to Brentford head coach Thomas Frank.

Burnley opted to sack Dyche on Friday, with the announcement a surprise despite the Clarets' relegation battle – they are 18th in the table and four points adrift of safety.

Dyche's side had managed just one win from their past seven matches, with five defeats in that streak, but many have questioned why Burnley parted ways with their manager after nearly a decade-long association.

He guided the Clarets to five straight survivals in the Premier League, having previously followed promotion in his first season with relegation back to the Championship.

Dyche, who led Burnley into Europe for the first time in 51 years, was also the longest-reigning manager in the league but now becomes the 10th different boss to lose his job in the top tier this season.

Frank believes Dyche's efforts should be celebrated as he expressed confusion over the decision of the Clarets board.

"They got promoted. They got relegated. They got promoted again. They've been here, what, six or seven years in the Premier League? It's remarkable what they've done," he said.

"Sean Dyche and his coaching staff, everyone involved with the football club, have done an unbelievable job. Sean Dyche deserves a lot of credit – they should build a statue of him outside Turf Moor.

"I remember there was one year when [you thought], 'How can he not be Manager of the Year?'. So, I think he's done a top job."

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher labelled the decision a "joke", as he posted on Twitter: "If you [Burnley] had given him a decent budget you would never have had a worry about getting relegated."

Veteran Roy Hodgson, who is attempting to battle the drop with Watford, was similarly bemused by the news.

"Of all the people in the league, he would have been one of the ones I would have thought most likely to survive anything like this, so I have no idea what's happened," Hodgson said.

"Something must have happened because you don't part company with a manager like Sean Dyche after all the fantastic things he's done for that club over the last 10 years. He has built the club."

Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Graham Potter also added he was "surprised", while Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta heaped praise on Dyche.

"He gave the club a really clear identity, he's managed to keep the team, with one of the smallest budgets, consistently in the league," the Arsenal boss said. 

"I wish him the best of luck and as always with colleagues, it's sad when you see those decisions."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expects more "twists" as the Gunners fight with north London rivals Tottenham for Champions League qualification.

Arteta's side seemingly turned a corner in 2022 as they surged to fourth in the Premier League, but consecutive losses against Crystal Palace and Brighton and Hove Albion have handed the advantage to Spurs.

Antonio Conte's team sit three points ahead of fifth-placed Arsenal, who have played a game fewer, as the pair contest alongside West Ham for a place in England's top four.

But Arteta, speaking ahead of the clash with Southampton on Saturday, insists there should be more changes and drama expected as the season heads towards its conclusion.

Asked who was in control of the top-four push, he responded on Friday: "Whoever manages to win more games and play better.

"There's going to be some twists still for sure and the pressure and situation is going to keep changing between now and the end of the season. We have to be focused on us and what we have to do.

"Every game [is important], but obviously when you lose, the next game takes more importance and we know that."

Arsenal are set to visit Tottenham in the penultimate week of the season in what is being billed as a decider for the final Champions League spot, but Arteta does not feel more pressure despite the rivalry.

"I think it's related to our history and we want to be not fourth, but third, second or first, and that's what we have to do," he added.

"That's always within every supporter and anybody who has any connection with the club, so the moment you see the team doing better and having better aspirations, your tendency is to get excited about it and I think that's the right reaction."

Arsenal began their 2021-22 campaign with three consecutive league losses in August, and defeat at Southampton would reproduce the same unwanted feat.

Arteta's team are in much better stead now, but the Spaniard dismissed suggestions that the Gunners would have settled for fifth in the Premier League after their abject start.

"At the start of the season? You cannot take anything because you don't know how things are going to develop," he continued.

"You could ask me a week into the season or two weeks before, I could maybe give you a different answer, but no, no."

Alexandre Lacazette has not scored from open play in the league since a strike in December against Southampton, who he has been involved in seven goals in six top-flight appearances against.

Reports suggest Lacazette missed training in midweek, but Arteta assured there is a "good possibility" he will play, while he hailed Bukayo Saka, who is the only English player to have registered both 50-plus shots and 50 or more chances created in the competition this term.

"He's a great kid, and he has a really clear idea of what he needs to expect," he said of the England international. "The better he does, the more difficult they are going to try and make it for him, that's for sure.

"I think he needs the protection that all the players need at this level, nothing different, nothing special.

"The best players and the talented players are always going to be, closely looked at, and they are going to close the space and they are going to be tight on them.

"Bukayo has to recognise that is going to be the case. Referees have to recognise that as well, early in the game, and then try to protect them."