Mikel Arteta praised Arsenal’s resilience and determination after their dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Newcastle United at St James’ Park, insisting the experience will make his team stronger in the Premier League title race.
Arsenal trailed until the 84th minute before late goals from Mikel Merino and Gabriel turned the match around, lifting the Gunners to second place in the table, just two points behind Liverpool.
“We fully deserved the win,” Arteta told Sky Sports. “The way we played, competed and created chances. We did it in a dramatic way, but we earned it. The courage, determination and quality we showed is what you need at this level.”
Arsenal were left frustrated by missed chances, inspired goalkeeping from Nick Pope, and a VAR intervention that overturned a penalty at 0-0 after Viktor Gyokeres appeared to be fouled.
Arteta expressed frustration at the decision, saying: “If it is not a clear and obvious error, VAR should not intervene. That was a penalty.”
Despite the setback, the Arsenal boss insisted the tough moments made the victory even more valuable.
“This is how you reach the next level — by overcoming those challenges and proving who we are,” Arteta said. “You have to come to a place like this and find a way to win. The team showed tremendous spirit.”
