Feb 26 (V7N) — Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has made it clear that his team will continue fighting for the Premier League title, despite a significant setback following their loss to West Ham United.

The defeat left second-placed Arsenal 11 points behind leaders Liverpool, though the Gunners have a game in hand. With injuries piling up and key players missing, Arteta acknowledged the challenge ahead but remained defiant.

"We're not going to stop. Over my dead body," Arteta told reporters on Tuesday, ahead of Arsenal’s crucial midweek clash against third-placed Nottingham Forest.

Arsenal's squad has been hit hard, with forwards Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz ruled out for the season, while wingers Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are also sidelined. Meanwhile, Liverpool remain unbeaten in the league since September, making Arsenal’s uphill battle even steeper.

"If somebody tells you at the start of the season that you play five times with a red card, over half an hour in each of those games, and you have lost this amount of players... you're in the middle of the table at least," Arteta said.

"That's not the situation. So that tells you the resilience, resources, and ambition the team has."

Despite the West Ham loss, Arteta pointed out that in the 15 games before that defeat, Arsenal had earned as many points as Liverpool.

"We got that defeat and on top of that, they win... it was a hard one to take," Arteta admitted.

However, he insisted that Arsenal will keep pushing in the title race.

"The reality is, there's so many games to play. And you have to get back to it. And we have the levels, the consistency and the hunger to go again."

Arsenal will face Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, knowing that every game is now crucial if they are to keep their fading title hopes alive.

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