Mikel Arteta reaffirmed his love for his "incredible" Arsenal players after slipping up once again at home to Southampton.
The Gunners dramatically drew 3-3 with the relegation candidates at a raucous Emirates, their third successive draw. Arsenal were 1-0 down with just 27 seconds on the clock before conceding again 13 minutes later to a fired-up Southampton side, who restored their two-goal advantage in the second half after Gabriel Martinelli had pulled one back for the hosts.
Arsenal then struck late on through Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, but it wasn't enough for all three points.
Friday's result handed over control to Manchester City in a thrilling Premier League title race, sitting five points behind the Gunners boasting two games in hand and with plenty more momentum. The reigning champions also host Arsenal in a potential title decider next Wednesday.
Gunners boss Arteta told Sky Sports post-match: "We are obviously unhappy with the result, We made it very difficult again for ourselves but mistakes are part of football but the way we reacted I love my players more than ever. It is incredible, we were on the way back, we conceded again with a sloppy goal but in the end we should have won the game.
"We created enough chances and opportunities but it didn't happen and we are disappointed. You can't concede three goals in this league, if you concede three like we did in a sloppy way it is very difficult to win matches. This young team reacts in a way that is incredible, when it is against the odds but the chances they created and the spirit they had it was a joy to watch.
"The message is clear that I love them. We are down and they are more willing than anybody to win it. You can see that spirit and fight in the dressing room but it is clear we have to do defensively things better."
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Meanwhile, striker Gabriel Jesus bemoaned: "A lot of things is going on now. We don't want to come here and talk negative because we are very positive, what we are doing this season is amazing. The Premier League is tough.
"Now is the difficult moment. It is time now to stick together until the end. We still have a lot of things to do this season, it is not over, we are still five points clear. Manchester City have two games in hand but if we want to be champions we have to go there to win the game - that is all.
"We are the youngest team in the league, not making excuses. Sometimes we do right and sometimes we do wrong, everyone can make mistakes that is why it is so important to stick together.
"Everything can happen. Obviously we are not happy with the last three games, we dropped points and we know this is true, no one has to tell us. We dropped a little bit of our level and focus, this is the Premier League, it is so difficult to win this competition. We are still there, we are still fighting and we will fight until the end."
