Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said it was important for the club to get back to winning ways after their Europa League exit and was particularly pleased with his players’ attitude in Sunday’s 3-1 Premier League victory over West Bromwich Albion.
Emile Smith Rowe, Nicolas Pepe and Willian scored against West Brom as Arsenal bounced back from Thursday’s Europa League semi-final exit which left them with the prospect of no European football for the first time in 25 years.
“After not going through to the final, it’s always very important to win the game,” said Arteta, whose side are ninth on 52 points with three games left.
“It’s always the best way to remedy the pain that we had, to win the game, to score the three beautiful goals that we have done and create so many more chances.”
Arsenal travel to third-placed Chelsea on Wednesday and Arteta said his side had a duty to the fans to finish the season strong.
“We have a huge responsibility to win every game we play when we represent this football club,” he added. “If anybody can question anything, our level, our ability, whatever it is, they can.
“But our attitude, that’s a non-negotiable one and right up to the end, we have to try to win our matches and see what happens.”
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur interim manager Ryan Mason said his focus is only on the next game and that the “big decisions” about the club’s direction will only be made at the end of the season.
Spurs slipped to seventh following Saturday’s 3-1 defeat by Leeds United and are seven points behind fourth-placed Leicester City with three games left.
Mason stepped in to replace Jose Mourinho last month and while he guided them to victories in his first two league games they lost to Manchester City in the League Cup final.
“There are definitely tools to work with for next season and I’m sure the chairman and the football club will have a long hard think about the direction the football club wants to go,” said Mason.
The 29-year-old former midfielder added that the side were fully focused on their remaining matches, starting with Sunday’s home game with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
“Our focus, my focus, has to be on the next game now,” he said. “I think the bigger picture, discussions like that probably need to happen over the summer.”
