Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes his team proved their character and rediscovered their identity after beating Leeds United 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Gunners came from behind to secure all three points at the Emirates Stadium. Riccardo Calafiori and Bruno Guimarães scored in the second half after James Justin had given Leeds the lead in the 55th minute.
Arsenal entered the game looking to bounce back from their 3-0 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion before the international break. Arteta admitted that his team had a point to prove after their disappointing performance.
Arteta said: “We knew it was going to be really tough today. We are coming from three weeks without 16 players after a heavy defeat and we had all these things in the tummy.
“Today we had two objectives: face the challenge because Leeds haven’t lost in the Premier League and they’re in a great position because they fully deserved it.
“And secondly, because we had a point to prove something was touched in our identity against Brighton, especially in the manner that we reacted after being in a difficult situation.
“They are incredibly dangerous and we got into a situation with 12.30 [kick-off] at home after a defeat, it is a bad mixture. We got out of that through touching again and proving our desire to win.”
The Spaniard admitted he struggled to process the loss against Brighton before the International break.
“The first few days, week, not great, especially because you question yourself, what you haven’t done in that game,” he said.
“To witness that game, my eyes were in pain. Then you have that, but try to learn from it, because otherwise you are starting to blame things and I was completely away from it.
“First of all, what I could have done better, what we lacked, there were a lot of factors: it was the fourth game, away from home as well, in this incredible schedule, and sometimes you play an opponent that on the day can be better than you, and they were better than us, especially in two very key things, and that’s it.
“So all of that, keep a little bit of it, and try to learn and be better.”
Arsenal will next take on LOSC in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday at the Emirates Stadium.
