(Reuters) – Arsenal will use the hurt from their first Premier League defeat of the season to deliver a strong response in their home clash against Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League, manager Mikel Arteta said on Monday.
Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Bournemouth brought Arsenal’s unbeaten start to the league season to a shuddering halt and left them third in the standings on 17 points, four behind leaders Liverpool and three behind Manchester City.
Arteta’s side host Shakhtar on Tuesday following a goalless draw in their opener at Atalanta and a 2-0 home victory over Paris St Germain, leaving them 13th in the new Champions League format with four points from two games.
The dismissal of William Saliba at Bournemouth marked Arsenal’s third red card in eight league matches, following earlier dismissals for Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard. Each time Arsenal have gone down to 10 men, they have dropped points.
“We cannot continue to play with 10 men, easier to say it then to get it done in the specific moment,” Arteta told reporters on Monday.
“Reacting (after) we had a defeat (but under) very specific conditions. Let’s move on, take that pain we have and use it tomorrow night.
“We need to eradicate the issue (of red cards), it’s clear. The reasons, how – it doesn’t matter. We have to focus.”
Shakhtar are winless in their Champions League campaign after a goalless draw at Bologna and a 3-0 loss to Atalanta. The team have had to adjust to playing on the road, having moved out of Donetsk a decade ago after pro-Russian separatists seized large areas of the region.
Early in September, two days before they were scheduled to play Kryvbas in the domestic league, their hotel was hit by a Russian missile.
“There is obviously a lot of sympathy for the situation they are in and how can I imagine. The incredible attitude they have towards the situation (in Ukraine) due to the war,” Arteta said.
Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino added: “I cannot even imagine what they must be feeling or what life is like for them… we will try to host them in the best manner possible.”
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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