Here is your Arsenal morning digest for Sunday, February 7.
Villa defeat a 'big blow' to European hopes
Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal's 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday was a big blow to his side's European hopes.
"Yeah, a big blow because considering the performances that we put in in both games we got zero points out of that. The fact is that we just gave the opponents the game," he said after the game.
"But we have to come back. We’ve done it this season and we have to do it again. We have a week now to prepare the next game against Leeds and we have to focus on that.
"Keep maintaining all the right things we’re doing the way the team is evolving, how we’re playing at the moment, but stop certain things that are costing us."
Martinez responds to Lacazette
Emiliano Martinez has responded to former teammate Alexandre Lacazette over a controversial flashpoint from Arsenal's defeat to Aston Villa.
The Gunners made it three games without a win and two defeats in three after losing 1-0 to Aston Villa following Ollie Watkins' goal after just two minutes.
But things might have been different had Arsenal been given a second-half penalty when Lacazette and former Gunners keeper Martinez got into a tussle in the box in the 57th minute.
Lacazette was incensed with the decision and took to Twitter to complain, replying to a video of the incident saying 'another one'.
But former teammate Martinez has responded, and clearly feels that referee Chris Kavanagh got the decision spot on after claiming it was six of one and half a dozen of the other.
Martinez - who left Arsenal for Villa on a deal worth up to £20million in the summer - responded to Lacazette, saying "you were pushing me first bro' with an emoji.
Arteta provides update on Partey injury
Arteta has provided an update of sorts on Thomas Partey's injury.
The midfielder was forced off with injury in the defeat to Aston Villa, the Ghanaian going off for Willian with 15 minutes left on the clock.
"I don't know he had a muscular issue so we had to take him off," said Arteta after the game.
"He could not carry on playing. We will see the extent of the injury. He wasn't feeling well enough to continue playing so we had to take him off."
