Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “I think we started the game so well. We created three big chances but didn’t manage to score the goal, then Ben White’s injury comes in and we have to adjust that. It doesn’t really work out and half-time we have to change Calafiori as well, another change, so it’s not ideal. But I think we showed a lot of courage with the changes and the persons that bring. I think we got rewarded because Martin made an incredible action to win us the game, apart from David’s save in the 70th minute.
“In the end, this is the beauty of the Premier League. In all this chaos and with the keeper in your box, they managed to score. The referee and the VAR today had a lot of courage to stop and analyse the action and give the opportunity to the referee to make the call. I think nobody would disagree that it is a clear foul because David has the ball almost in his hands and they don’t allow him to do that and they take advantage to score the goal.”
On the wait for the disallowed goal: “My instinct, because I watched it live, is that it was going to be a foul. But I understand and today I realised for the referees to be in that position and make that call and change the course of one the two teams, what a responsibility. What a big call.”
On David Raya’s save: “If you want the chance to major trophies, you need moments and actions and the individuals creating those magic moments and David certainly – like Martin Odegaard – created a moment to win us the game.”
Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: “Joy. We knew what we had to do today, and that was to take three points. It was tough, we knew up front what they were playing for and they put up a good fight. It is so nice for us to get three points here and go home with a win.
“A lot happened as you could see. At the first moment I did not see what happened with the foul on David [Raya] because I was in the pack as well. He was quite convinced that it was a foul, so I was quite relieved in that moment. I thought it was a foul but in that moment you are never sure what the referee and VAR are going to do. From the moment he said it was a foul I was obviously really relieved.
“Most of the time you know it will go in your favour if they go to the monitor because it means that VAR have seen something. It should be a foul.”
On his goal: “It’s an amazing run from Martin [Odegaard]. He does so well to get the ball to me and then just in that moment I put all my power and precision on the ball to get it into the back of the net. It was such a relief to score that goal.”
On being two games from the title: “I don’t need to explain what is at stake, everyone knows. Two very important games from us, and we have all the belief that we can do it, but we have to work hard to get three points in the next games as well.”
Did you know?
- Arsenal’s opener was timed at 82 minutes and six seconds, their latest goal in a 1-0 Premier League win since November 2023 against Brentford (Kai Havertz in 89th minute).
- Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard has only scored more goals in his Premier League career against Liverpool (6) than West Ham United (5) – today ended a run of 14 appearances without a league goal for the Belgian.