“From my point of view we won ugly” – Mikel Arteta makes honest admission about Arsenal win over West Ham
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted that his side "won ugly" in their Premier League encounter against West Ham United at the London Stadium on May 1.
Rob Holding and Gabriel scored from corners in each half to secure the Gunners a 2-1 victory. It helped them leapfrog arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur back into fourth-place, who beat Leicester City 3-1 earlier in the day.
Arsenal retake fourth spot ⬆️
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David Moyes rotated his Hammers team a little ahead of their Europa League semi-final second-leg against Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday. However, they still troubled Arsenal for large periods of the game.
Arteta's men eventually held on for their third consecutive top-flight win. The Spanish manager admitted after the London derby victory that his team weren't at their best. He was full of praise for his side's character, and as per the Newham Recorder, Arteta said:
"In England you say 'win ugly' and from my point of view we won ugly. It was a massive win in very difficult circumstances because we caused ourselves problems, especially with our decision-making. But the team showed huge character, not giving up but to continue doing the right things."
He added:
"The way they fought and the way they understood how they had to manage the game in certain moments, it was phenomenal. I am extremely happy to see a team that has this capacity to find a way to win and to show the character they showed."
Arsenal boss denies his side are feeling the pressure
The Gunners have timed their run of three consecutive victories to perfection, although they haven't played particularly well in any of those games. They won against Chelsea, Manchester United and West Ham in a row in the Premier League.
Arteta dismissed the idea that his team were cracking under the pressure of an intense top-four race. He claimed his side were simply sloppy at against the Irons and said:
"When you have to pass the ball from A to B under pressure or no pressure, this is an excuse. We were just sloppy at times and not precise and that led to a game we didn't want to play in many moments. We recognise that and sometimes it happens. To play here against this team is not easy at all and we found a way to win the match."
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Arsenal host relegation-threatened Leeds United next weekend. They then travel to Tottenham on May 12 in what promises to be a mammoth north London derby. It could decide which club will be playing Champions League football next season.
The Gunners are fourth, two points above their fierce rivals. They now find themselves just three points behind Chelsea following the Blues' 1-0 defeat at Everton on Sunday afternoon.