Arteta: Arsenal’s first half vs. Burnley ‘one of the best’

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta said his team’s first half performance against Burnley was one of the best they have played. Arsenal registered a comprehensive 2-0 win at Turf Moor on Saturday.

Viktor Gyökeres and Declan Rice scored goals in the first half to help the Gunners bag all three points. Gyokeres found the back of the net in the 14th minute, whereas Rice scored in the 34th minute. The visitors dominated the possession with 56%.

This win is Arsenal’s ninth straight win in all competitions and fifth in the top flight.

Arteta said: “We started the game exceptionally well. I think the first half is one of the best that we’ve played, scored two goals, generated another two or three big chances and conceded nothing.

“And that was a platform, because in the second half we dropped the standards, especially with the ball, and with our intentions to play more forward. But again, defensively, we were exceptional.”

The Spaniard was delighted with the team’s performance against Burnley.

Arteta added: “I think it was one of the best games that he’s played [for us].

“Overall, his performance was exceptional, apart from the goal, and we had to take him off because he was feeling a little niggle, muscular.

“His high press, his positioning and his touches, his threading in behind, the way he linked play, the way he gets us from this situation to transition.

“He was in a really good moment. It’s a shame that he felt something.”

On the other hand, this was the fifth league loss for Burnley and head coach Scott Parker said the first goal was decisive.

Parker said: “We understood what we were up against, a top, top team with huge quality, and I thought we started the game really well.

“The [first] goal took the wind out of us a little bit in terms of the set-play goal, and we had worked a lot this week on that. But I think it took the edge off us a little bit.”

Arsenal will next take on Slavia Praha on Tuesday in the Champions League.