Arsène Wenger said Arsenal’s 2-0 win at Everton demonstrated his team’s mental strength and had kept their Premier League title chances alive, admitting any hope of catching Leicester City would have evaporated without three points at Goodison Park.
Danny Welbeck and the impressive 19-year-old Alex Iwobi, with his first goal for Arsenal, gave Wenger’s team a first league win since 14 February and respite from an arduous week that included exits from the FA Cup and Champions League.
“We were backs to the wall today and responded well,” said the Arsenal manager. “I am pleased that mentally we responded under pressure. The character of my players was questioned and if we didn’t win today we knew we were out of it. I think it was a mental test for the side.”
The visitors remain third but are now four points clear of Manchester City after a comfortable defeat of Roberto Martínez’s poor team and Wenger insisted the title remains in sight.
He added: “I am not masochistic enough to consider us out. Mathematically we have a chance and a game in hand, let’s not forget, at home. We are not the flavour of the week at the moment but if we don’t believe no one will do it for us. Even if the mind is sceptical we have to give our best in every single game. We have to be humble and fight in every game like we did today. Then we never know. Of course we need some good results from the others. We cannot help that.”
Iwobi, making only his sixth Premier League appearance for Arsenal, was a constant threat and sealed victory with a fine finish. “He is an intelligent boy who loves football,” said Wenger of the Nigerian. “He is very passionate about the game and keen to learn. He is very humble as well. I took him training in pre-season and liked what he did. After that he improved very quickly with the first team.”