Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta relished seeing his side erase recent road woes with a 1-0 win over Everton on Saturday, putting them top of the table over the Christmas period thanks to a Viktor Gyokeres penalty gifted to him by Toffees defender Jake O’Brien.
Recent draws against Sunderland and Chelsea and a defeat at Aston Villa saw Arteta’s side pushed back at the top of the Premier League by Manchester City, but Saturday’s controlled performance against Everton suggested it could be the toughest period in his journey.
«(Winning was) very important. You have to enjoy the process of winning, and that’s going to be a difficult moment, a difficult moment, a great moment. That’s all part of that intention and how close we are to winning, and that’s what we have to enjoy,» Arteta said.
READ | Arsenal regains first place after the 1-0 win against Everton
A former Everton player, Arteta knew how difficult it would be to come to Merseyside and get a result at Everton’s new stadium and despite the home side’s tenacious defense, he felt his team probably should have scored more goals.
«We knew it would be a very tough game. In the second half we should have scored a second or third goal to be more relaxed. We didn’t do that and against this type of team it can be exciting,» said the 43-year-old.
The win moved Arsenal back to the top of the table with 39 points, two ahead of Manchester City, who briefly took over top spot earlier in the day with a 3-0 win over West Ham United, but Arteta said the placings were not that important at this stage of the season.
«From day one, the only thing we can control is our own performance and results, and we know how long it will take, how tough this competition is, and that’s it. Enjoy every day. Do your best and let’s see what we get,» he said.
Published on December 21, 2025
