Mikel Arteta delighted to see Arsenal come through tough test with a win against West Ham
Arsenal beat West Ham United on Saturday evening to make it two wins from two at the start of the 2020/21 season.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta knew his side would be in for a tough occasion, though he perhaps didn’t expect that it would be partly due to his own team’s performance on the night.
Despite the Hammers looking the more likely side to push for a winner in the second half, Arsenal finished strongly and nicked the points with a late goal to make it 2-1.
After the game, Arteta admonished his side for making the occasion more tricky for themselves with a sloppy performance, but was still pleased they showed resolve to find a way to win.
“I’m thrilled with the three points again. I knew the type of opponent we had in front of us and the way they play, how difficult it was going to be,” he said.
"We made it even more difficult for ourselves with the amount of balls we gave away and spaces we left for the opponent.
“But I’m glad we found the right moment and reactions; we kept competing and believing in the final 20 minutes to win the game. There are still a lot fo things we need to get better at.”
Match-winner Eddie Nketiah also earned praise from his manager, not just for scoring the goal but for the important role he’ll play all season long in pushing the other forwards in the squad.
"He can do that every week, he’s a player who will push everyone else because he’s hungry and he’s got a great talent to score goals.
“We need people from the bench to come in and contribute and he was really helpful to win the points.”
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Arsenal vs West Ham result: Eddie Nketiah snatches late win as Gunners break down resilient West Ham
