Mikel Arteta praises "exceptional" Fraser Forster after Southampton defeat

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta paid tribute to "exceptional" Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster after his side's 1-0 defeat to the Saints on Saturday afternoon.

Forster made a number of vital saves at St Mary's as Arsenal slumped to their third Premier League defeat on the bounce, with Jan Bednarek striking the only goal on the stroke of half time.

Arsenal could now end the weekend in seventh should West Ham United get the better of managerless Burnley on Sunday, and Arteta has admitted that Arsenal lacked the quality to get past a determined Forster.

"They had an exceptional goalkeeper today, and as well we didn't have enough quality and enough capacity to break them down when we had the numbers and the situations to do so," Arteta told reporters at his pre-match press conference.

"At the end of the day it is decided in the boxes, they scored one goal, and for the amount of time that we spent around the box, and the shots that we had and the situations and the clear-cut chances that we had - we didn't put them in the goal.

"It's very disappointing, and difficult to explain with words. But this is sport, it's what makes it different to any other - because again in basketball you have 25 shots and the winner has one and you win 10 out of 10 times."

Arsenal still remain just three points adrift of Tottenham Hotspur following their defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion and will aim to bounce back in Wednesday's battle with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.