Mikel Arteta responds to Arsenal fans after ‘Kroenke Out’ banner flown over Villa Park during Premier League defeat

Arsenal manager pleads for fans to unite as he has the ‘full backing’ of the club’s American owner and admits they have not been good enough in the Premier League this season

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hit back at fans who flew a banner reading ‘Back Arteta Kroenke Out’ over Villa Park on Tuesday night by telling them he has the “full backing of the board”, though admitted they have been nowhere near good enough this season.

The 1-0 defeat against a relegation-threatened Aston Villa side leaves Arsenal in 10th place in the Premier League table, and mathematically out of the running for European qualification via a league finish with seventh-place Tottenham five points clear with one game remaining.

Having also won fewer games than Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sheffield United and Burnley, Arsenal are primed for their worst season since the 1994/95 campaign saw the club finish in 12th, although they could yet qualify for next season’s Europa League if they can beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final.

But after seeing the banner appear over Villa Park in the opening minutes of Tuesday’s match, Arteta called for a unified fan base to try and turn Arsenal’s fortunes around.

"The Kroenkes and the board and the sporting director, I have their full backing,” Arteta said. “I have that 100 per cent - the fans have to believe what I'm saying.

"We are putting a strong plan together to do as much as we can in a short period and the league table doesn't lie.

"The top teams in certain areas are better than us. We know the challenge, it's really big and we're excited for what we have ahead of us."

Arteta also criticised his players for their performance not just in the defeat against Villa but throughout the season on a whole, and called for a swift improvement next season to deliver what the club “deserves”.

"It has to hurt and we have to suffer, it's not good enough for this club," Arteta added.

"We need to improve in many areas, the team and individually."

Mikel Arteta is disappointed with Arsenal's entire season (Reuters)

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka was brought on for Lucas Torreira at half-time after Trezeguet put the home side in front midway through the first half, and the Swiss international admitted that the players only had themselves to blame for their 10th defeat of the season.

"In my opinion you can't come here and play like this," Xhaka said.

"It's not good enough and you can't play with this mentality. We could have got into the Europa League, but now we have to win the FA Cup and we have more pressure.

"But we will do everything to win the FA Cup now."