Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta said the Premier League starts again after his team suffered a 2-1 loss against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Rayan Cherki scored the opening goal for the home team but Kai Havertz scored the equaliser after only two minutes.

In the second half, Erling Haaland scored the winning goal in the 65th minute to give crucial three points to his team. Arsenal is still at the top of the Premier League standings as they have 70 points whereas Manchester City have 67 points but the latter has one more game in hand.

“The Premier League starts again, almost,” Arteta said. “They have a game in hand, we are three points ahead, five games to play so game on.

“Everything is still to play for. So we know how much we’ve won it and we’re not going to stop and we’re going to go again, that’s for sure.

“Today if they need to be more convinced, I think they are now more convinced. They were talking about it in the dressing room.”

Asked whether he needed to lift a squad whose mentality has been repeatedly questioned, Arteta said: “If I have to pick the players to win the Premier League with five games to go in our hands and be in the final of the Champions League, I think I should be at home.

“So it’s not the case. It’s not needed. It’s never been needed, even in difficult moments. So we will [go] again, that’s for sure.

“Obviously, they were very disappointed not to get a result from the game in the manner that it happened. That’s the feeling, immediately you could tell that they were talking about, and they said, ‘OK, we lost an opportunity today, but we have the biggest one now in the next five games, so let’s do it.’”

Arsenal will next take on Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.