Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres has pinpointed a significant 'positive' for the Gunners to take from their dramatic, last-minute Premier League defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park.
Late Heartbreak for Title-Chasing Gunners
The match, played on Saturday, saw Matty Cash fire Villa ahead in the 36th minute, before Leandro Trossard equalised for Arsenal shortly after half-time. The contest looked destined for a draw until the fifth minute of stoppage time, when Emiliano Buendia struck a superb winner to seal a 2-1 victory for Unai Emery's in-form side.
The result handed Arsenal their first defeat since August and extended Villa's winning streak to seven matches in all competitions. It also tightened the title race considerably, with Villa moving to within three points of league leaders Arsenal. Manchester City sit between them, just one point ahead of Villa in second place.
Gyokeres: 'We Have to Keep Creating Chances'
Speaking after the final whistle, substitute Gyokeres expressed the squad's collective disappointment but urged focus on the opportunities they forged. "We are of course disappointed with the result," the forward said. "It's not a great feeling right now, but it's only December and there are a lot of games to play."
He highlighted a key statistic from the game as a beacon of hope: Arsenal had nine shots on target to Villa's six, despite the defeat. "You can always find some positives... We have to keep creating chances and get shots on goal because then you'll eventually score more goals," Gyokeres continued. "So yes, that's of course a positive and we just need to do things in between also a bit better."
The Swedish international, who replaced Mikel Merino at half-time, acknowledged the cruel nature of the loss but called for perspective. "It's football. If you score in the last few seconds or minutes, that is an unbelievable feeling, so it goes both ways. Today, unfortunately, it was the other way. It's tough, but you learn from it."
Arteta Labels Villa as Genuine Title Contenders
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was quick to credit the opposition in his post-match analysis, firmly stating that Aston Villa must now be considered serious challengers for the crown. "They are," the Spaniard affirmed. "When you look at where they are, the way they play, they have beaten some big teams, especially at home. Everybody is going to have to play everybody, so at the moment they are where they are and we are there as well."
The Gunners, who have led the Premier League since early October, now face a quick opportunity to respond. They travel to Belgium for a midweek Champions League fixture against Club Brugge, before aiming to return to winning ways in the league next weekend at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Gyokeres concluded with a forward-looking message: "If we focus on what we can control and do in our favour and focus on the next game, we'll be better, I think."
