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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hailed his side after the Gunners produced a miraculous comeback to defeat Bournemouth 3-2 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, March 4.
The Cherries took a shock lead when Philip Billing struck after just nine seconds, scoring the second-fastest goal in Premier League history. The Gunners kept pushing for an equalizer but conceded a second after the break via a Marcos Senesi header in the 57th minute.
Thomas Partey halved the deficit five minutes later before Arteta reacted quickly by subbing in Reiss Nelson for Emile Smith-Rowe. Nelson set up Ben White for the equalizer in the 70th minute. He would then become Arsenal's savior with a left-footed strike into the top corner at the very last second to win the game for the Gunners.
It was a well-deserved win for Arsenal as they dominated possession (81% to 19%) and had 31 shots compared to Bournemouth's four. The victory saw them maintain their five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League with 63 points.
Mikel Arteta was extremely ecstatic following the game as he spoke to BBC Sport. He said:
"I'm incredibly happy. It was just mad. Those feelings of happiness and joy. It was a really special way and it took until the last second to earn it. I am really proud of them [the players]. They never gave up. There is nothing like sharing those great moments with your people. I'm so happy for him [Nelson]."
He continued:
"It was madness from the first second. We kept trying and dominating the game. We had a mountain to climb and we took it bit by bit. We had the hunger to go for the first goal. From then the atmosphere changed. Reiss Nelson hasn’t featured much because he has been injured. He comes on and puts in that performance. It was incredible to experience the emotion with the crowd. It's going to stick with us."
The 40-year-old added:
"I am going to remember this day for a few things. I loved the initiative, the courage, their personality and the way they made things happen. When its ugly and when its difficult, that’s what big teams do. We have to make it easier for ourselves. But this is the Premier League."
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admits dramatic victory against Bournemouth is 'just another game'
Despite the heroics of Reiss Nelson and the post-match celebrations between the players and fans, Arsenal boss Arteta admitted that the Gunners' victory was only worth three points, the same as any other win in the Premier League.
In the aforementioned interview, he said:
"It's just another game, another three points. To win three games in a week [Leicester, Everton, Bournemouth] is very important. We want to stay there [at the top] for as long as possible. There are still a lot of games to play but that’s the beauty of it."
He added:
"The opponents are good and they make it hard for you. Now we have the Europa League – many games coming up. We’re going to need everyone at their best."
Arsenal next face Sporting CP at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in the Europa League Round of 16. Their first leg clash is scheduled to take place on March 9.
