The Gunners were unable to get all three points in the Premier League at home and had to settle for a 2-2 draw.
Despite dropping points, having twice led, Arteta chose to remain positive and highlight his players’ great effort.
After the game, he told reporters: “I think the performance overall with all the circumstances was very positive, a lot of great things to take, but it’s disappointing not to win it because I thought we were the better team.
“We had the most domination, the biggest chances and without conceding anything really, we gave two goals away, apart from two big decisions as well.
“With everything that we’ve been through in the last few weeks, with all the injuries and situations that we had, the team was exceptional. The energy that we created, the way we dominated the top team in the league at the moment and where we’re coming from, it says a lot about how much we want it and as well, the quality that we have.”
The manager was also delighted to see Mikel Merino score his first goal for the club, on just his second league start for us after signing in the summer.
“I think he was very positive. You can tell that he’s getting into the rhythm, understanding what he has and in a big game like that, he stood up. We had some big performances today.”