Mikel Arteta explained the decision behind Leandro Trossard taking the penalty for Arsenal, while Kai Havertz missed the opportunity to set a record…

Mikel Arteta explained the decision behind Leandro Trossard taking the penalty for Arsenal, as Kai Havertz missed the chance to break a record.

Mikel Arteta addressed the choice of Leandro Trossard as the penalty taker for Arsenal, while Kai Havertz’s bid for a record was ultimately denied.

In a tightly contested Champions League match, Arsenal managed to secure a slim victory against Shakhtar Donetsk, but Arteta acknowledged the team’s fatigue, stating, “We looked tired.”

The decisive goal came from Gabriel Martinelli, whose shot deflected off the post and then off Shakhtar goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk, adding a unique twist to the phrase ‘1-0 to the ARSEnal.’

However, Trossard’s poorly executed penalty was saved by Riznyk, leaving fans questioning why Havertz was not given the chance to achieve a new club record by scoring in eight consecutive home matches.

Arsenal was also thankful for David Raya’s remarkable last-minute save against Pedrinho, which helped the team secure fourth place in the expanded Champions League standings.

With William Saliba already suspended and Riccardo Calafiori injured, Arteta faces a challenging decision regarding his defensive lineup ahead of the important match against Liverpool on Sunday.

Arteta remarked, “Winning at home in this competition is crucial. In the first half, we were very dominant, creating four significant chances that we should have converted.”

He continued, “In the second half, we appeared fatigued and lacked our usual sharpness both with and without the ball. We had more opportunities but missed a critical penalty, which was tough to recover from.

Nonetheless, it’s the Champions League; we take the win and the clean sheet… now we move forward.”

Arteta’s anxiety was evident as Trossard missed the vital penalty in the absence of injured captain Martin Odegaard and key player Bukayo Saka.

Arteta explained, “The players made that choice—typically, Bukayo or Martin take the penalties. After them, we have two or three others who can step up. Unfortunately, it was a missed opportunity.”

In response to Arsenal’s recent accumulation of red cards, Arteta made the proactive decision to substitute Ben White at half-time to mitigate any potential disciplinary concerns.

Meanwhile, Calafiori’s departure from the match was necessitated by circumstances rather than a tactical choice.

Arteta elaborated: “I opted to take Ben out. He was on a yellow card, and given our recent experiences with playing a man down, I wanted to avoid any risks.

Riccardo felt something, but I am uncertain about the severity, so that news isn’t particularly encouraging.”

Despite this challenge, Arteta remains confident that Arsenal will recover and put forth a strong performance against Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday, stating: “We have four days to prepare, and I am confident we will be ready. Trust me, by Sunday, we will be in top form.”

While Martinelli may have been in contention for the decisive goal, he expressed satisfaction with simply securing the victory in a challenging match.

The Brazilian winger remarked: “It doesn’t matter if it was my goal or an own goal—the key takeaway is the win, and we are very pleased.

We’ve lost some players, but we are aware of our strengths, and competing in the Champions League is demanding.

After a disappointing result in our last Premier League match, we came here determined to win, and we achieved that.”

Shakhtar’s coach Marino Pusic shared the arduous journey his team faces ahead, saying: “Tomorrow, we will fly back to Poland, then take a bus to the train station, followed by a night train that lasts about 20 hours. It’s a challenging trip, but that’s the reality we face.”

“We aim to provide our supporters with something to take pride in. Their passion for the country and the club is evident.

Oleksandr [Zinchenko] visited us in the dressing room after the match. He’s a fantastic person, and we hold him in high regard.”