MIKEL ARTETA insists he has “more belief” Arsenal can win the Premier League despite their defeat to Manchester City.
The Gunners were beaten 3-1 by the Cityzens at the Emirates on Wednesday, which resulted in Pep Guardiola’s side leapfrogging them at the top courtesy of goal difference.
Arsenal went five points clear after beating Manchester United on January 22 but have now recorded just one point from nine since then.
But the North London club’s boss, whose team have a game in hand on City, remains bullish that his men can still claim a first title since 2004.
Arteta told BBC Sport: “They still have it [the belief], I can sense it. They feel they can do it.
“I have more belief than I had before the game.
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“With the performance and the level the team put in, we had the feeling we could beat them. Until the second goal we had them.
“But we gave them three goals and the game at the end. Certain errors at this level, you can't make. At the same time, the team put the level very high.
“The difference was in the boxes, they had three chances and they put them away. We had chances and we didn't put them away.”
The Spaniard added to Amazon Prime: “They are the best team in the world and we matched that level. After it is just about doing certain things better to beat them.
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“I have more belief [to win the league] because I see a team going head-to-head with them.
“You have to go to the next one and in three days we have another game. I have more belief in my players.”
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard also echoed Arteta’s belief that the Gunners need to be “more clinical” after only scoring one of their 10 efforts against the Cityzens.
The Norwegian said: “We were not sharp enough, in front of the goal and in our own as well.
“Sometimes chances go in, sometimes not. But that is where we need to improve and be more clinical and defend our box.
“As we have said all season, work hard and take it game by game. It is the same now. It is one game we have lost here today and now we look to the next one.”
Arsenal travel to Aston Villa on Saturday lunchtime looking to return to winning ways.
Meanwhile, City are looking to maintain top spot when they head to Nottingham Forest later in the afternoon.
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