Southampton vs Arsenal: 'I love my players' — Arteta reacts to shock FA Cup exit

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta firmly refused to blame his squad for the devastating FA Cup exit, following the shocking 2-1 defeat to second-tier Southampton in the quarter-finals on Saturday, April 4. 

The Premier League leaders were stunned at St Mary's Stadium when substitute Shea Charles netted an 85th-minute winner for the Championship side, rendering Viktor Gyökeres's 68th-minute equaliser meaningless after Ross Stewart initially put the hosts ahead in the first half. 

Despite the frustrating nature of the performance, Arteta defended his team during his post-match press conference, assuming full responsibility. "I love my players. What they've done for nine months, the way they're putting their bodies through everything," Arteta said, per the Guardian.

“Some of them probably didn’t even have to be here today. I’m not going to do that. I’m going to defend. I love my players.

“Let’s look at ourselves in the mirror. Accept the situation, reveal against it, and go again to Portugal with, again, freshness, with clarity and looking forward to it.”

“I don’t want to put any excuses around the players that are missing or the players that are here with issues. Let’s look at ourselves in the mirror. Accept the situation, reveal against it, and go again to Portugal with, again, freshness, with clarity and looking forward to it.”

The embarrassing giant-killing on the South Coast extinguishes any lingering hopes of a historic treble for Arsenal this season. It marks their second agonising domestic cup disappointment in quick succession, just a fortnight after the Gunners suffered a bitter EFL Cup final defeat to Manchester City right before the March international break. 

While Arteta famously lifted the 2019/20 FA Cup to secure early silverware in his managerial tenure, his domestic cup record since then has been heavily marked by early exits and near-misses. 

Arsenal's focus now pivots to securing the Premier League title, where they currently hold a commanding nine-point lead over second-placed Manchester City. They also have a healthy chance of winning their first-ever Champions League title.