Mikel Arteta faced the media following his side’s 1-0 win over Chelsea. Mikel Merino was the only goal-scorer on the day, but it was enough for the Gunners to claim the win and move nine points clear of their London rivals.
The atmosphere inside the ground was an odd one, but perhaps predictable considering how the league has got away from Arsenal while now opening a comfortable gap to the chasing pack.
There was an interesting moment from the press conference when Arteta made the claim that Chelsea have the best attack in the league by a mile. Quite the claim after such a toothless performance from the visitors.
Here is every word from the press conference as Arteta faced the media:
**It was quite a feisty London derby, what did you make of it?**
Yes, very happy obviously with the result, with big parts of that performance. I love the attitude of the team from the beginning, the way we approached it, how aggressive we were with our goal, scored a goal.
A lot of chances that we didn't put away and then we continue to do a lot of the things defensively so well and the right to attack open spaces and so many situations with huge advantages that we just gave away. Then we have to try back 70 metres and on that phase probably we've beaten one of the best teams in the world today because we were unbelievable the way we've done it.
We have conceded almost nothing apart from that strange save from David, I would say and that's a big credit to the team because in my opinion they are the best attacking team in the league.
**If you avoid a defeat at Liverpool out of the season, it's been the second season in a row you've not lost a game against the traditional big six in the league. What does that say about the team?**
Yes, that we are capable of competing consistently with really high standards against any kind of opposition and if we continue to do those things, we get rewarded.
**And the set-piece goals are back as well!**
Yeah!
**And that was some header. Has he worked on that? That looked quite a dramatic one he did.**
We worked on something similar with that finish, no? To be fair it was a different kind of finish planned but very happy because that would generate the belief in the team again, even in the stadium, the crowd that we can score because it's something that we're missing obviously when we're so prolific on that and with the amount of injuries that we have to deal with in the front line so very happy with that.
**Merino, he doesn't seem to be a very happy centre-forward, he says he'll play there for you, but he seems to be playing himself into a job every week, right?**
We know that, I was there, the emergency situation that we are in at the moment but the way he's approaching it is incredible.
He wants to understand everything, he wants to learn from it, he's very critical of himself all the time and at the end, the reality is that he's winning football matches for us, which is incredible; he's never played in that position before in his life.
**And some of the goals are quite spectacular these goals and that one today as well.**
Yeah, and the value of it, it's a big match at the end, you win the game because of that goal, he had another big chance that almost put the back on the net so very happy with his contribution.
**You said they're the best attacking team in the league?**
Yeah, in open play, yes.
**Can you explain why?**
By a mile, I mean the stats say it and everything that I've seen, say it. They can open you up, they can run in transition, they have individual quality, any player in the defensive line can throw you in behind, they can combine on both sides, on weak sides and they are missing some big players as well at the moment.
**Do you feel next season they're going to be a major threat?**
Yeah, and I think they wouldn't have to play Thursday, Saturday and the amount of injuries that they had as well, they were on the edge because of the manager that they have, that is really good and the players and the squad, the quality that they have.
**Just on the Chelsea point, is that people's perception of Chelsea on the outside is that they may struggle to create chances and that it's territory without actually penetrating? Is this a difference between you as a manager and fans seeing Chelsea in a different way?**
I don't know, it's my opinion. I have a lot of data, the objective one, what it says and as well what I've seen in the games that they play. I might be wrong, I don't know.
**It's just yourself setting up to play against these big teams, we've spoken about the record and not conceding any chances, is it quite refreshing for you to set up your teams to maybe soak up pressure rather than playing against low blocks every week?**
Yeah, but I would like to see a different scoreline, with the amount of things that we do so well, being proud of that has to improve because the moment I do that, you are very far away from the position.
**At 12 points, can you reign in Liverpool with a 12-point lead?**
We have to win our football matches, that's what it has to be. Win against Fulham and we'll be closer.