Friday 10 February 2017 16:42, UK
How Arsenal respond to recent setbacks will go a long way in deciding their season, according to manager Arsene Wenger.
The Gunners head into Saturday lunchtime's Premier League clash with struggling Hull City at the Emirates on the back of successive top-flight defeats to Chelsea and Watford.
Those reverses have seen Wenger's side slip to fourth in the table, 12 points behind leaders Chelsea, making the Tigers' visit to the capital this weekend a match of vital importance.
With fixtures against Bayern Munich in the Champions League last 16 and non-league Sutton United in the FA Cup fifth round to immediately follow, Wenger has described the next three games as the decisive part of Arsenal's season.
"We come out of two disappointing results after a very difficult week," said Wenger in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports.
"So what I mean when I say that is the way that we respond in a united way to a difficult moment in the season. It is a very sensitive moment because we come out of a big disappointment.
"But as well we have massive challenges in front of us, we play Hull first at home, then we have the Champions League at stake, then we have the FA Cup at stake.
We were unlucky as the goal was scandalous
"It is an interesting point of the season as well because it is how you respond to that that will decide our season."
Assessing last Saturday's 3-1 loss to rivals Chelsea, Wenger feels that despite the mistakes his players made at Stamford Bridge, the match was an even contest.
"Overall we did not defend well, especially on the goals," he said. "It was a very even game with unexpected goals and chances. If you look at the saves made by the two goalkeepers, it was a very even game.
"On top of that, I think we made some tactical mistakes, especially for the first goal and on top of that, we were unlucky as the goal was a scandalous goal."
However, Wenger now wants the team to respond to the disappointment of that defeat and demonstrate what they are made of.
"Let's not go overboard, we have 47 points, it is down to us now where we will finish at the end of the season," he said. "We have a very big game on Saturday and it is down to us to respond well.
"We were 20 games unbeaten, but people forget we lost some important players recently. Since the start of the season we went into games without players like (Santi) Cazorla, (Granit) Xhaka, (Aaron) Ramsey we lost, (Mohamed) Elneny we lost recently.
"And unfortunately that happened all together recently and I personally feel we have the quality, strength and spirit. The players want to do well, let's get over this disappointment and show what we are made of."
And while the Frenchman acknowledges the title is now Chelsea's to lose, he has also called on his players to fight tooth and nail - especially against those sides around them in the table - until the end of the season.
"I am long enough in the job to understand that and I believe that part of being a competitor is not to give up," Wenger said.
"It is true that it is Chelsea's to lose now, they are in a position with no Europe, they can prepare week in, week out.
"But we have to fight like mad to come back and fight against the teams around us. We want to be as good as we can be until the end of the season of course, and see where we finish."
Watch the full version of Patrick Davison's interview with Arsene Wenger ahead of Arsenal's match with Hull City on Sky Sports 1 HD from 11.30am on Saturday
