Aleksandar Mitrović was disappointed with the manner of Arsenal’s goals on Saturday, but promised Fulham gave everything at the Emirates.
Mitro’s 100th goal in black and white had us in front in North London, but a deflected Martin Ødegaard strike and a tap-in from Gabriel meant we left empty handed.
“We knew they were going to storm out from the dressing room, from the first minute they were going to try to get the fans behind them, try to press us,” Mitrović stated.
“The first target was to stay in the game, survive in the first 15-20 minutes, and then the space will open.
“We managed to do that first half, second half I think we came out a little bit better, we played with more freedom, we created a few chances. We found space in between the lines and we were really dangerous.
“We scored a goal and after that we sat a little bit deeper and they were coming, they were pressing, and I think we could have managed a few situations a little bit better, but in the end it was two unlucky goals.
“The first was a rebound that I think Bernd would have saved [if it had not deflected]. The second one, two players ricocheted, the ball’s dropped, and it’s a little bit unlucky, but that’s football.
“Last week we scored last minute, this time we concede in almost the last minute. We’ll learn from our mistakes and we’ll move on.
“It’s a tough place to come, they’re a good team, they play with a lot of intensity with some young, quality players, so it was a big challenge for us but I think we left everything out there.”
On what was only his 181st appearance for the Whites, Mitro brought up a century of goals when he picked Gabriel’s pocket and coolly slotted beyond Aaron Ramsdale.
“It sounds nice, and I’m really happy to score 100 goals for this beautiful club, and hopefully there will be many more to come,” the big man said.
The lazy voices claiming that Mitrović cannot perform at the highest level are getting quieter every week, with only Erling Haaland scoring more than his four in the Premier League this season.
Not that Mitro ever paid the blindest bit of notice to such trolling.
“I don’t really care to be honest,” he said. “I know I had the confidence, the Manager had the confidence, my teammates had confidence in me, and what other people say I’m not really bothered.
“People have different opinions but I focus on myself, focus on keep working hard for the team, and when the team plays well I know we will create chances and I will score goals.”
