Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta congratulated Fleetwood Town after his side's dramatic penalty shootout loss in their EFL Cup tie, admitting it was a "sad day" but defending his players' effort.
The League Two side secured a memorable victory against the English champions at their Highbury Stadium, following a 90-minute match that ended in a draw and led to penalties. Fleetwood ultimately triumphed with superb spot-kicks.
Despite the upset, which BBC Sport labelled "one of the biggest upsets in Carabao Cup history," Arteta remained gracious. "Congrats to Fleetwood, it’s a sad day for us," he told Sky Sports after the match.
"But I cannot fault at all the attitude of the players. I haven’t seen anybody not doing what is required at this level," the Arsenal boss added, highlighting his team's numerous chances and possession throughout the game.
"We insisted so much, we had so much of the ball, so many chances, so many shots. This is football," Arteta concluded, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of the sport despite his team's dominance in stats.
