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LONDON. — Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hopes the resilience his side showed in twice coming from behind while a man down to hold Chelsea 2-2 at Stamford Bridge proves a “stepping stone” to a brighter future for the Gunners.
Arteta’s men remain 10th in the English Premier League, 10 points behind Chelsea in fourth, but while a point may be too little for their hopes of a return to the Champions League football, the manner in which it was achieved gave their new manager cause for optimism.
“Time will tell if this is a stepping stone, but at least I saw a reaction,” said Arteta.
“I demand from the players that they never give up. We have to keep playing with the spirit we showed in every game. I’m proud of the way they reacted.”
David Luiz endured a nightmare evening on his return to Stamford Bridge as the Brazilian was sent off after 26 minutes for hauling down Tammy Abraham. Jorginho converted the resulting penalty. However, Chelsea’s struggles at home continued as they offered another lifeline to those challenging for a top-four finish.
“We’re in fourth position, but I know and we know there should be another 10 points on the board,” said a frustrated Lampard.
“We shouldn’t dwell too much on results that have gone, but a lot of them look the same. The initiative is on us to be ruthless, to take the chances when they came along.”
And a move for the Uruguayan could be even more of a priority after top scorer Abraham had to be helped from the field at full-time after injuring his ankle in colliding with the advertising boards late on. — AFP.
Online Reporter