Mikel Arteta admitted he was nonetheless haunted by using Monday’s defeat to Newcastle as Arsenal neglected out on Champions League qualification despite a five-1 victory over Everton at Emirates Stadium.
Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, Cedric Soares, Gabriel Magalhaes and Martin Odegaard scored because the Gunners completed the Premier League season in 5th region, their fate sealed with the aid of Tottenham beating Norwich five-zero.
Only a Spurs crumble at Carrow Road might have seen Arsenal side their north London competitors for fourth and Arteta felt the harm had already been finished with the two-zero defeat at St James’ Park that meant their destiny became no longer of their own palms.
“We knew that we needed a miracle and it didn’t occur. That’s it. The league table on the give up of the season doesn’t lie,” Arteta stated.
“It’s real that ultimate season Chelsea were in the Champions League with sixty seven factors. We have 69 and are out of it, but that’s the extent and the needs that this league has now.
“I can not determine the season today. I’m sorry, I’m nevertheless in a variety of pain because of what befell on Monday and I would really like to have a truthful evaluation on how properly we’ve done.
“What I can assure you is that we have tried to squeeze the lemon as a good deal as we probably can to get every single drop. We’ve reached the point we have reached.
“We recognize in which we ought to move. The feeling of guilt at now not accomplishing that stage is painful.”
When asked what pleasure he takes from qualifying for the Europa League, Arteta answered: “I don’t get plenty if I’m honest. Today I’m still in ache.
“That’s why I need the dirt to settle and I need to get a few days on holiday due to the fact nowadays I don’t think I’m capable of reflect the season the way it’s far.”
Everton secured their Premier League survival with Thursday’s lovely comeback win towards Crystal Palace and at Emirates Stadium they performed like a group on the descent segment of an emotional curler coaster.
Frank Lampard made six modifications and even though Donny van de Beek’s strike, which made it 2-1 at half-time, become their handiest success, their supervisor become happy knowing relegation had been averted.
“My immediate feeling is my absolute delight and remedy that we’ve saved the membership within the league,” Lampard said.
“We expended lots of electricity on Thursday. Our huge very last became on Thursday and we received it. This became only a step too a ways.
“We had been in the sport at half-time but inside the second-half of, and you may see from the desires at set-pieces, there have been concentration problems.
“We weren’t in the right positions and didn’t cope with matters.
“This became a difficult recreation for the gamers and Arsenal have been gambling for something while the game started.
“There’s not anything there for me to virtually shoe the players approximately too much. The reflections could be at the whole 3 and a 1/2 months seeing that I’ve been right here.”
