A disgruntled Mikel Arteta has admitted that his Arsenal side "lost purpose" as they threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with West Ham United in the Premier League.
Seven days on from surrendering a 2-0 advantage in a four-goal stalemate with Liverpool, a similar story bedevilled the Gunners at the London Stadium, as their title hopes took a major hit.
Arteta's men exploded out of the blocks and netted twice inside the opening 10 minutes against West Ham, but they soon lost their intensity and were punished.
David Moyes's men pulled a goal back before the break before completing their comeback early in the second half, cutting Arsenal's lead at the top of the Premier League table down to four points over Manchester City.
The in-form champions still boast a game in hand, and Arsenal - who have now thrown away successive 2-0 leads in the Premier League for the first time ever - must visit the Etihad Stadium for a season-defining clash on April 26.
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Speaking to Sky Sports News after the game, Arteta labelled the manner of his side's draw "very disappointing" and admits that he did not see a "purpose" from his side to kill the game off at 2-0.
"Very disappointing. The way we started was superb again, we were in total control, then we lost purpose," the Spaniard said. "We gave them hope, conceded a terrible penalty, then credit to them.
"We got on the roller coaster where everything is going, corners and throw ins, and we never got away from that. The purpose we needed for the third and fourth goal, I didn't see it."
Arsenal took full advantage of calamitous West Ham defending in the early exchanges, as Gabriel Jesus tapped home at the back post in the seventh minute before Martin Odegaard's volley doubled the visitors' lead.
However, Said Benrahma levelled from the spot after Gabriel Magalhaes had brought down Lucas Paqueta, with Thomas Partey guilty of giving the ball away in a dangerous area.
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Arsenal were handed a gilt-edged chance to restore their two-goal lead early in the second half as Michail Antonio gave away a penalty for handball, but Bukayo Saka sent his spot kick wide, just two minutes before Jarrod Bowen's volley rescued a point for the hosts.
Saka memorably missed England's last penalty in their Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy, but Arteta has no doubts about keeping the 21-year-old on spot-kick duty for future matches.
"If you are prepared to take responsibility of penalties, you have to be prepared that in that package the possibility to miss is 100%. At some point you're going to miss. That's it," Arteta added in his post-game press conference.
"You have to be able to react to that after. If you cannot do that then you cannot be a penalty taker. Bukayo has been through that and he will go through that again. If I had to pick one player to do it, it would be him again. In that moment we missed it and this is football."
Arsenal have five days to recover from Sunday's disappointment before hosting basement side Southampton at the Emirates Stadium next Friday.
Ben Knapton
