Mikel Arteta Explains Why Arsenal Lost to Fulham on New Year’s Eve

• Arsenal's Premier League title chase suffered a huge blow at Craven Cottage
• The Gunners blew away a 1-0 lead as Fulham staged a stunning comeback to seal the win
• Head coach Mikel Arteta has shed light on why the North Londoners lost on December 31

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has explained why his side suffered a shock defeat against Fulham on New Year's Eve.

Coming off a 1-1 stalemate with Liverpool and a stunning 2-0 loss at home to West Ham, Arteta's charges were hoping to make amends against the Cottagers, who were also on a two-game losing streak.

However, the North London outfit was dealt a critical blow to its title charge, with Fulham staging a dramatic comeback to beat the Gunners 2-1.

According to Eurosport, goals from Raul Gimenez and Bobby De Cordova-Reid on either side of halftime rendered Bukayo Saka's early strike a consolation.

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The victory for the West London club means they have snatched four points out of a possible six from Arsenal, whose title charge appears to be fading away. They currently sit in fourth place after their recent slump in form.

Arteta explains Arsenal's defeat

Speaking at his post-match press conference, the 41-year-old admitted his side were not good enough against the host.

“We weren’t good enough. We didn’t have enough rhythm threats. Defensively, we were second best,” Arteta said as cited by Daily Post.

He added: “Painful and a sad day. That’s how I would sum it up. We had the chance to be top of the table after 20 games. Three days ago, we lost a game that we deserved to win; today was a different story.”

What's next for Arsenal and Fulham?

Now, attention turns to the FA Cup third round as Fulham prepares to face Rotherham at home on Friday night, while Arsenal gears up to host Liverpool in what's considered the highlight match of the round next Sunday.

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Arsenal stars spotted in heated argument

In a related publication, Sports Brief highlighted a heated exchange between Declan Rice and Gabriel during Arsenal's Premier League match against Fulham.

The intense scene unfolded during the Sunday match as the two players engaged in a heated argument. Gabriel appeared to be shouting at Rice during the second half, with the scoreline deadlocked at 1-1.

The Brazilian expressed his emotions towards the English player, prompting Rice to respond vehemently, gesturing and engaging in the argument.