Mikel Arteta provides Arsenal fans with this grim assessment after Brighton defeat

Goals from Leandro Trossard and Enock Mwepu were enough to seal a 2-1 win for the away side, in what was the Seagulls’ first win in eight.

After the game Arteta described his emotions. “I’m never happy especially when I lose, I’m really upset. I cannot be happy.”

The losing manager seemed not to realise his side had conceded twice when speaking after the game, explaining how his side had failed to provide answers to the Brighton game-plan.

“The first half it was really poor again, the reaction that we wanted to show, and everything that we talked about we didn’t make it happen on the pitch.

"We were sloppy with the ball, we were second best in situations, we didn’t show any purpose or build any momentum in the game or play with the right speed, and transform the game that Brighton proposed today.

"The first chance that they had, the only chance they had, they scored.”

Speaking on Martinelli’s disallowed goal for offside, which took VAR four minutes to chalk off, the Arsenal boss revealed he thought the goal would stand.

“The feeling that we had was that it was taking too long and if there’s any doubt it is going to be a goal, that wasn’t the case, and it was a decision that we needed because that was probably the best moment in the game to change the momentum of the game.”

“It’s not a problem of attitude, it was a problem of approach and courage to play. What happens is that we will criticise ourselves because we were really poor again in the first half, and lift ourselves up because we know that this road is taking us nowhere, especially to where we want to be.

"We have everything to play for still in the last eight games, in the beautiful challenge that we have ahead, and [can’t] sit back and see what happens. "