Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta hails his players for beating the ‘best team in the world’ after ending winless streak against Man City… as he defends keeper David Raya over jittery display

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Mikel Arteta hailed his side’s victory over the ‘best team in the world’ in Manchester City on Sunday night as Arsenal ended an eight-year winless run against their rivals in the league.

Substitute Gabriel Martinelli scored in the 86th minute, having returned from a hamstring injury, which proved the game’s decisive moment. Arsenal’s last league victory against City came back in December 2015.

‘You could sense it’s been so many years without beating them,’ Gunners boss Arteta said. ‘Today I think we beat the best team in the world without a question of a doubt.

‘We did it in a great way because there were moments where we had to suffer and moments where we showed real desire, determination and belief to beat them. So I’m really happy. ‘It sends a message to the team to keep believing in what they’re doing because they’re a fantastic group of players.’

The Spaniard referenced the morale-sapping 4-1 defeat to City in April, which all but ended their title hopes last season, as a crucial experience on their journey to Sunday’s long-overdue success.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta (above) celebrates Sunday’s victory over Manchester City

Winger Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench to score the winner in the 86th minute

Man City forward Julian Alvarez nearly charged down a David Raya clearance

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‘To beat them we have to lose against them, we have to lose probably the way we lost at the Etihad,’ he said.

‘We lost in two different ways last season, where we were the better team, especially in the first half and then we concede the goal on the backpass of (Takehiro) Tomiyasu and (Kevin) De Bruyne scoring. The team showed a real maturity today, that comes from experiences. Sometimes you need that to become a better team.’

Goalkeeper David Raya kept a clean-sheet but faced scrutiny after a jittery performance, especially in the first half.

Home supporters had voiced their frustrations at Raya with cries for him to ‘play it forward’ after taking his time on the ball, particularly when City forward Julian Alvarez nearly charged down a Raya clearance.

But Arteta insisted he was to blame for that tactic.

‘It’s my fault, all my fault,’ he said. ‘They (fans) can boo me, I asked him to do that. Especially against this team, you start to do other things and you get in big, big, big trouble.

‘He was excellent, the way he dominated his box, the way he came up for crosses in set-pieces. He’s got big ones (balls). ‘The crowd go like this [makes cheering gesture], other players start to kick balls everywhere.

‘I said to him make sure you don’t do it. He didn’t do it and at the end he got rewarded, the team started to play the game we wanted much better.’

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