Mikel Arteta might be down, but he’s not out.
The Arsenal boss remains optimistic despite his side’s 3-1 defeat by Manchester City on Wednesday night.
The result sees Pep Guardiola’s men leapfrog the Gunners at the top of the Premier League table, albeit on goal difference.
“I have more belief than I had before the game,” Arteta told the BBC after the game at the Emirates. “With the performance and the level the team put in, we had the feeling we could beat them. Until the second goal we had them.
“But we gave them three goals and the game at the end. Certain errors at this level, you can’t make. At the same time, the team put the level very high.
“The difference was in the boxes, they had three chances and they put them away. We had chances and we didn’t put them away.
“I have more belief because I see a team going head-to-head with them. You have to go to the next one and in three days we have another game. I have more belief in my players.”
Arsenal could return to the top of the table with a win at Aston Villa in Saturday’s early kick-off, with Man City going to Nottingham Forest away later in the day.