Arsenal legend Henry sends message to the Gunners squad and Arteta after Man City defeat

Thierry Henry has told the Arsenal squad to “stay calm” and show they have the composure to push Manchester City all the way in the title race.

Bukayo Saka cancelled out Kevin de Bruyne’s opener with an equaliser from the penalty spot before goals from Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland swung the match in City’s favour .

The win for the Citizens has seen them leapfrog Arsenal into first place with the Gunners vacating top spot for the first time since the third week of the season.

Arsenal have two tough away fixtures against Aston Villa and Leicester City over the next ten days and Henry wants his former side to show some fight in the title race.

Henry said on CBS Sports: “They came to your place and beat you – can you know show that you can respond?

“Since the beginning of the season Man City was responding to what you were doing. Now, can you keep your composure?

“Go to Aston Villa and rectify that straight away at the weekend and show you can be with them all the way and try to do something at their ground, because now it’s going to be very difficult.

“Just stay calm. You lost against a great team today, we mentioned they had Foden and Akanji come on – do you have the same bench at Arsenal? I’m not too sure, but keep your composure, you lost that one it doesn’t mean now that everything now has to go in the bin.

“Keep your composure and go and rectify that game against Villa and see what you can do – you still have a game in hand, but now it’s going to be tough though.”

Arsenal have now won just two of their last six Premier League matches after losing 1-0 to Everton and being held 1-1 by Brentford in recent fixtures.

Henry added: “I wish we had more points, the Brentford game was massive also. It was always going to happen in a season where you’re not going to win maybe two or three games.

“You fall so now you’ve got to stand on your feet after that along the way, so hopefully we can do that but Man City are used to that type of role and that type of battle for the title.”

After the match Mikel Arteta rued his side’s missed chances and claims Arsenal “gave” Man City all three of their goals.

“You cannot give anything away. We gave them three goals, you don’t do that against City. Ninety-nine times out of 100, you’re going to lose the game. And we still had three big, big chances and we didn’t put them away. When that happens, you have zero chance to win.

“It made me proud the level we have raised today against probably the best team in the world, when they are able to play at the level with the players that we have. We have matched that level and believe me, that’s really difficult to do against this team.”