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Mikel Arteta was delighted with his squad's performance as they stretched their lead at the top of the Premier League table with a win over Burnley. Goals from Viktor Gyokeres and Declan Rice were critical to the game but there was some bad news.

Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi came off in the game and Arteta provided an update on the pair, giving some detail as to why he was forced to take both of them off.

The win came courtesy of a set-piece to break the deadlock but the Gunners created plenty from open play while for the third league game in four, not conceding a shot on target. Below is everything Arteta said in his post-match press conference.

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What are your thoughts on the performance and the game?

Well, obviously very happy, a really tough place to come. They’ve lost once in 18 months against Liverpool in the last kick of the game by a penalty, so that tells you the difficulty of that. I think we started the game exceptionally well. I think the first half was one of the best that we've played. Scored two goals, generated another two or three big chances and conceded nothing. That was a platform because in the second half we dropped the standard, especially with the ball and with our intentions to take more risks, to play more forward. But again, defensively, we were exceptional, to the point that the free-kickers that we were a bit lucky hit the bar and keep the clean sheet.

Did you get an update on Victor, who came off the half-time?

Yeah, before that I think he was one of the best games he's played. I think overall his performance was exceptional. A part of the goal, and we had to take him off because he was feeling a little niggle. So we'll have to wait and see.

And Zubimendi?

And Zubi as well, he asked to be subbed, so we'll have to wait and see.

How satisfying is it to have created so many open play chances? Because obviously in the last two games in the league you won 1-0 via set-pieces. Here you obviously open the score on the set-piece, but created so many chances in open play. How satisfying is that?

Yeah, in the mid-week we did exactly the same. So at the end against teams that are going to defend in that low block, it is more difficult. And Burnley credit to them because they are very, very well organised. And the big teams have struggled big time to generate chances and opportunities against them. We certainly have done that, especially in the first half. So yeah, happy with that, but there's still a lot of things to improve.

You just mentioned the start of Burnley at Turf Moor. And obviously, we saw Liverpool snap to you right at the end. From that and just from the record, was there anything from Liverpool's game and just the record in general that you thought, wow, this is what we're facing here at Turf Moor?

Yeah, we know what we have been discussing this season. The game that we have struggled to draw points, especially last season. And we knew the challenge today. And the level that we're going to have to show to beat them, because they have this spirit and this belief to get results here at home. And you could feel that. So what we've done, big credit to the boys.

You mentioned that was probably Victor's best of the best game. What did you like about it so much?

Everything. His high press, his position and his touches. His threat in behind, the way he linked play, the way he gets us from these situations to transition moments. A lot. I think he was in a really good moment. It's a shame that he felt something.

And just on Zubimendi was it muscular?

Muscular, yes. I don't know. Muscular, yeah.

I think we're done. On the defensive record, I think that's one shot target in four games in the league. David Raya is not having to do much. What can you say now about this?

Well, I think, again, the spirit is an action at the end, after a corner from Declan, that Ethan doesn't win the duel there. And you see 10 players sprinting 80 metres. If we play with that desire, with that focus, with that discipline, we will win a lot of games.