Arteta’s cryptic post-match interview as Arsenal face crisis in defence for run-in

Mikel Arteta’s words after Arsenal’s defeat to Tottenham had a similar feel to Jose Mourinho’s ‘If I speak I’m in big trouble’ interview with the Gunners boss making a series of cryptic comments.

The race for fourth was blown wide open as Spurs inflicted a 3-0 hammering on their north London rivals at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It was a disastrous evening for the Gunners, who fell behind through Harry Kane’s penalty early on after Cedric Soares was adjudged to have barged over Heung-min Son.

Meanwhile, Kane’s close range finish just before the break and Son’s strike early in the second half sealed the points and bragging rights for Antonio Conte’s men.

Whether the penalty should’ve been given has divided opinion but Arteta kept his views very closely to his chest.

“If I say what I think I’m suspended for six months,” Arteta told Sky Sports.

“I am allowed to give my interpretation of what happened. I don’t know how to lie and I don’t like lying so I prefer not to say what I think.”

Pressed further on if he’s unhappy with any of the decisions made by referee Paul Tierney, he responded: “I cannot say what I think. I will be suspended.”

And when asked about whether he was unhappy with his players, Arteta said: “With my players, no. I’m so proud of my players.”

Things went from bad to worse for Arsenal late in the second half as centre-back Gabriel going off with what looked like a hamstring injury in the second half.

This means they are without the suspended Holding for their final two matches of the season, and could be without Gabriel and Ben White for their trip to Newcastle on Monday and clash at home to Everton on the final day.

Asked why White wasn’t brought on, Arteta said: “To take the risk in the situation didn’t make any sense. We now focus on Newcastle [on Monday], this game is history.”

And on Gabriel’s injury, he added: “He felt something so hopefully Ben will be fit and hopefully Gabi will recover because if not obviously we don’t have enough players in the back line.”