Arteta praised Arsenal’s reaction to their Man United loss as the Gunners prepare for a decisive Champions League clash.

Mikel Arteta has praised Arsenal’s response to their dramatic defeat against Manchester United as the Gunners turn their attention to Champions League action against Kairat Almaty.

Arsenal host the Kazakh side on Wednesday, knowing that even a draw will secure a first-place finish in their group, having already taken a perfect 21 points from seven matches so far in the competition.

The European fixture comes just days after Sunday’s unexpected 3-2 home loss to United, a result that slightly dented Arsenal’s Premier League title momentum ahead of a weekend clash with Leeds United.

Speaking to the media, Arteta described the mood within the squad after the setback as both calm and constructive, insisting the players responded in exactly the way he hoped. “The reaction has been excellent,” Arteta said. “We took time to lower the temperature, reflect, and decide how we want to lead the next four months. What came out of it was very simple and very encouraging.”

He added that the squad had embraced the challenge of competing on multiple fronts, stressing that Arsenal have “earned the right” to fight across four competitions with courage, belief and ambition.

After confirming the absences of William Saliba, Mikel Merino, and Jurrien Timber for the Kairat match, Arteta concluded by urging focus on the future, insisting Arsenal’s energy is firmly directed toward enjoying the present and pushing for success in every remaining game.