Arsenal: Mikel Arteta issues apology to supporters after dismal Bournemouth defeat | OneFootball

Arsenal manager admits Bournemouth defeat is a ”big punch in the face”

Arsenal have now lost three of their last four games in all competitions

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Mikel Arteta issued an apology to the Arsenal fans after a dismal defeat to Bournemouth.

It was level at half-time at the Emirates Stadium, after Viktor Gyokeres' penalty cancelled out Junior Kroupi's opener, but Alex Scott then strolled into the box with 15 minutes remaining to score what proved to be the winner.

Asked what his message to the fans was now, Arteta said: "Apologise, take it in the chin and that's it.

"What I'm trying to do is give our best to the club, give the best possibility to our players. I know that the atmosphere, the fans, and the support, the energy in the stadium is the best in the world.

"With that we have a much better chance. I don't think there is any other possibility to perform better than when you have that kind of support.

"We have to respond and we had moments in the first half where we did it and there were other moments when we weren't on our level.

"We have to apologise them and improve."

Arsenal have now played two more games than Man City

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Arteta was also keen to emphasise the need for perspective on where Arsenal were in the two biggest competitions.

He insisted: "If somebody would have said to me in August you are in this position right now in April, I'm sure we would all take it."

Arsenal have now lost three of their last four matches. The Carabao Cup and FA Cup have gone and now the Premier League is far from a sure thing.

The Gunners must now reset before their trip to the Etihad next weekend, with a Champions League quarter-final second leg to come before then in midweek against Sporting CP.

"It's a big punch in the face," Arteta said.

"That's what I said to the boys. But now it's about how we react to that because it's game on. It's going to require now a big spirit, a lot of fight, and very clear how we're going to approach.

"No grey areas. We're in, we're out. We need to be very, very, very strong and determined to approach it in a different way than we did today, especially when the game wasn't going our way."