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Mikel Arteta promised Arsenal "will be better" when Bayer Leverkusen visit the Emirates following their 1-1 draw in Germany. Aside from Gabriel Martinelli's strike that rattled the crossbar and Jurrien Timber's headed opportunity, the Gunners created little of significance. However, Arteta expressed no surprise that it was Noni Madueke who delivered the moment that could have swung the balance back in Arsenal's favour.

"No surprise at all because that's his biggest quality," Arteta stated. "He's very brave at doing that, and Noni is a real threat. To have a player with that ability when you need him and to step in in the manner that he did, big credit to him." After winning all eight matches in the league phase, there were expectations Arsenal would make light work of Leverkusen.

Arteta clarified that the north Londoners' favourable run to the semi-finals was never his focus and says that the match epitomised just how tough it can be to secure victory on the road. "Yes, and how difficult it is to win against any opponent in the competition and especially away from home," Arteta responded.

"There is a big factor there. Then you realise what we've done to win it, this competition, because it's so tough that nobody has done it before.Fully aware of that, we knew the importance of the game and the difficulty of the opponent, and now we need to finish it in London."

It was clear that Arteta was not content with his team's performance and has now pledged a reaction and improvement in London next week.

"Yes, that's why I said emotionally it becomes a very different game because that is a team that is very, very good in transition, and you have more hurry and more rush to create danger and to go and draw the game, and you can get caught whilst doing that," he stated.

"I liked that emotionally, we understood what we had to do. The level of execution obviously has to be better, and it will be better in the second leg. We'll adapt a few things, and yes, we'll move on."

When questioned about his disappointment with his team's defending for the Leverkusen goal, Arteta added: "There are always two sides to that. One is the element of the opponent that they picked that weakness, and that lack of attention or urgency in both situations.

"And the other one is us, because we knew, we showed them three clips from last weekend in three different ways, and we weren't ready for it, and we got caught."