Mikel Arteta calls for a reaction after Arsenal suffered a surprise FA Cup defeat to Southampton.

Mikel Arteta has challenged Arsenal to show what they are made of after their shock 2-1 defeat to Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals. The upset ended the Gunners’ hopes of lifting the trophy for the first time since 2020.

Arsenal fell behind in the first half at St Mary’s Stadium when Ross Stewart opened the scoring. The hosts fed off a lively atmosphere, putting pressure on a weakened Arsenal side missing key players.

The visitors eventually responded after the break as Viktor Gyökeres came off the bench to score the equaliser. However, Arsenal struggled to impose themselves, particularly without injured England internationals Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal’s problems deepened when defender Gabriel Magalhães limped off with a knee injury. Their defensive frailties were exposed late on when Shea Charles fired in the winner from the edge of the area in the 85th minute.

Arteta admitted his side’s defending had been uncharacteristically sloppy, pointing to poor handling of long balls and missed chances in the final third. Despite dominating possession, Arsenal failed to capitalise on two clear opportunities.

The defeat compounded recent disappointment following their League Cup final loss to Manchester City, ending any hopes of a domestic cup double. Arsenal’s quadruple ambitions have now been reduced to league and European pursuits.

With little time to recover, Arsenal now turn their focus to a UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting. They also remain strong contenders for the Premier League title, holding a nine-point advantage over Manchester City.

Southampton, meanwhile, celebrated a memorable giant-killing result under manager Tonda Eckert. The second-tier side advanced to the semi-finals at Wembley for the first time since 2021 and will now balance cup ambitions with their push for a place in the Championship play-offs.