'I Love My Players' — Arteta Defends Arsenal After Shock FA Cup Exit

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta refused to blame his squad after a surprising 2-1 FA Cup loss to second-tier Southampton in the quarter-finals. Substitute Shea Charles struck in the 85th minute. Ross Stewart had given the hosts an early lead, before Viktor Gyökeres equalised for Arsenal. In his post-match press conference, Arteta assumed full responsibility. “I love my players. What they’ve done for nine months… I’m going to defend them,” he said. He urged everyone to reflect and move on with clarity and freshness for upcoming matches. The defeat ends Arsenal’s dreams of a historic treble this season. It follows their recent EFL Cup final loss to Manchester City. Arteta’s domestic cup record since lifting the FA Cup in 2020 now includes several early exits and near misses. Arsenal will now focus on securing their first Premier League title since 2003. They also have a strong chance in the Champions League as they look ahead to their next challenge.

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