Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta acknowledged his team is going through its first tough period of the season after being stunned by second-tier Southampton in the FA Cup quarterfinals, two weeks after losing in the final of the English Carabao Cup.
A shocking 2-1 loss at St. Mary’s stadium left Arsenal with just the Premier League and Champions League as trophy targets.
A knee injury to Gabriel Magalhães, which forced off the Brazil center back in the second half, added more misery for Arteta, who suggested there were players who took the field against Southampton despite having fitness problems of their own.
What Arteta wasn’t prepared to do was criticize his squad.
“I love my players and what they’ve done for nine months,” he said. “What am I going to do now? Criticize them because we lost a game here in the manner that they tried and the way they are putting their bodies through everything? Some of them probably didn’t even have to be here today.
“No, I’m not going to do that. I’m going to defend them more than ever. If someone has to take responsibility that’s me and we have the most beautiful period of the season ahead of us.
“And now it’s a moment in the season — you always have moments, usually two or three. This is the first moment that we have with a certain level of difficulty.”
Ross Stewart fired in-form Southampton ahead at the end of a move featuring Martin Ødegaard and Ben White errors, with Leo Scienza hitting the crossbar before substitute Viktor Gyökeres equalized for Arsenal.
However, it is Southampton who will be heading to Wembley later this month in the FA Cup semifinals after Shea Charles came off the bench to seal a famous 2-1 quarterfinal victory.
After previously winning the trophy four times in seven seasons, including in Arteta’s first campaign in charge, Arsenal have now gone six seasons without winning the FA Cup.
“Really disappointed in the manner that we lost the opportunity to get back to Wembley,” Arteta added.
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Will Arsenal’s season derail after shock FA Cup exit?
Kieran Gibbs reacts to Arsenal’s 2-1 loss to Southampton in the FA Cup.
Arsenal play Portugal’s Sporting CP — potentially the weakest team remaining — in the Champions League quarterfinals over the next 10 days and have a nine-point lead in the Premier League as the club goes in search of a first trophy since 2020.
Arsenal have finished as the runners-up in the league in each of the past three seasons and were beaten in the semifinals of the Champions League last year.
“When I say difficulty, we’re going to play in the Champions League quarterfinals and the run-in for the league,” Arteta added. “It is a difficult period, but I believe that many other ones are much more difficult.
“So, stand up, make yourself accountable and deliver as we’ve been doing all season.”
Gabriel was seen with an ice pack on his knee after coming off in the 72nd minute. He missed Brazil’s games over the recent international break because of fitness concerns.
“I think he felt something,” Arteta said of his key defender. “I don’t know exactly what it is, we will have to assess him. But when a player asks to be substituted it is never good news.”
The Associated Press and PA contributed to this report.
