The Gunners slipped to their first Premier League defeat of the campaign as they lost 2-0 to Bournemouth on Saturday (19.10.24) after having defender William Saliba dismissed and the coach has warned they can't afford to keep going down to 10 men in games if they are to have any chance of winning the title.

Arteta told reporters: "Playing with 10 men always is an issue.

"The trust is, when you analyse it, three different very actions and the outcome of them, the reasons are very different.

"Regardless of that we cannot continue to play with 10 men at this level. We need to eradicate that, it's clear. The reasons, how; it doesn't matter. We have to focus."

The defeat saw the Gunners lose ground at the top of the Premier League to Liverpool and Manchester City and Arteta wants his side to channel the "pain" of the loss as fuel for their forthcoming games.

The Spanish manager said: "We cannot continue to play with ten men, easier to say it than to get it done.

"Specific moments. Reacting, we have a defeat. Very specific conditions as well.

"Let's move on, take that pain we have and use it."

Arteta felt that the defeat was an "accident waiting to happen" as they had to play much of the match a man down after Saliba received his marching orders in the first half.

He said: "We are obviously very disappointed with the result and gutted because we have to play again in that context.

This time was even more difficult than the previous two we faced this season.

"Playing for 65 or 68 minutes with 10 men at this level is just an impossible task. It's an accident waiting to happen, not to get the points.

"I cannot fault the team for their effort, their commitment, how intelligent they are to play in the way that we have to do it."