Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted he feared his side might fail to score during their hard-fought 1-0 victory over Sporting CP on Tuesday night.
Kai Havertz struck deep into stoppage time to hand the Gunners a crucial away win in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash.
Arsenal had to rely on David Raya, who produced a series of impressive saves to keep the hosts at bay, while a goal from Martin Zubimendi was ruled out for offside.
Reflecting on the performance, Arteta admitted his team struggled with sharpness in the attacking third and lacked the final pass needed to break down Sporting’s defensive setup.
“Yes, because when we got into the final third, we missed the final bit,” Arteta said.
“We needed to be sharper, quicker, and more efficient to break them down when they sat deep.
“We had a goal disallowed and a few moments where we came close, but we lacked that decisive pass.
“In the end, a moment of brilliance from our finishers won us the game.”
