A cheery Mikel Arteta attended his post-match press conference after watching his side beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 to stay top of the Premier League.

Goals from Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus and Granit Xhaka secured the spoils of the derby days, and Mikel was delighted to deliver the result they craved.

This and many other topics were discussed with the media gathered at the Emirates Stadium, and here is everything the boss had to say:

on performance:

I’m really happy, it was a great performance, a great day with an incredible atmosphere to play. I’m so grateful to all the people who connect with the team in such a special way. I’m really happy because it’s an opportunity to make a lot of people happy and proud and I think we gave that to all of them.

if we deserved to win:

I think we deserved to win the game, yes.

on whether he was worried when Tottenham equalized:

You’re going to have those moments against Spurs and all the big teams. You get the feeling every time with the way they connect with their top three that something can happen and you have to live with that. I don’t think we played with that in mind and that’s where you could really feel the players early on with the guts, the determination, the freedom and the energy to go for it, and that’s what what we demand of them.

on who gave the pre-game team speech:

I did it.

on his reaction to his team speech:

Yes I could feel it [the passion in the players] Every day since returning from the international break, they were ready and focused for it. It’s so significant that we know what’s at stake in this game and it goes a little deeper than the three points. You have to play with that passion and composure in your head and I think the players did that brilliantly today.

on what he liked most about Thomas Partey’s goal:

The moment when the ball entered the net and I could see it enter, then of course the party!

on us making 22 passes before the goal:

If we can score one, I’d prefer it! It’s faster, you’re closer to the goal and it’s easier to do. It’s the way we play that we’ve been training for every day, but I think as a team that connection and understanding of what we want to do comes through in that action.

on what this result says about the direction of the club:

Absolutely [this result can be a springboard], I think it started in that locker room when you have the right people and the right players and they start to connect with each other. It takes it to another level with all the staff being an integral part of the team and no matter what level it can be at the top level.

When they start connecting, then you can take that on the pitch and start taking some things on the pitch, and then when you connect like we did with our fans, it becomes something really powerful. I think that’s the biggest achievement of this group of players.

on whether it’s important to keep the momentum going through the winter and into the new year:

It’s because in this league, the next game we are going to play in the Europa League in a few days here and it will be really difficult. But we have it now, and it’s so powerful and meaningful to us. Obviously now the next step is to go do a lot of other things. But we have – above all – to have what we have, and with this group of players and this connection, I think it’s much easier, that something good can happen.

on the confidence gained from beating a top six team:

One hundred percent necessary. Because when you play such a big game you want to win, and those opinions are correct because when you look at the stats and if you just put it in that context, you can do it. It’s how you give and receive information, it affects you.

if a victory like this sends a message to the other great opponents:

For me, the message is for the players, and everyone who is connected to the club, that we are capable of playing at this level, against this type of opponent. This should give them confidence and confidence.

if this type of result and the style of play justify the decisions of a coach:

Yeah but I don’t see it from that perspective, you know what we’re trying to do is for Arsenal Football Club. We are ready because our history tells us a certain way to play, and a way of being. That’s what we have to try to translate – what certain beliefs are, into behaviors and habits. That’s what we’re trying to do.

if he was impressed, the team went for a kill after Tottenham fell to 10 men:

Yes because many of them are really young. Just going through those emotions and figuring out what the game really demands right now – that’s something that can be a bit tricky. But I think they were really smart and really mature in how they handled the situation. They did what I think the game demanded at the time.

to be at the top of the rankings for the moment:

It’s great to always look at him and see the club where he is, in that position. It’s great, it gives you a great feeling obviously. But we are focused. They’re a really hungry and humble team, trust me. We know where we are. There’s nothing we’ve done yet, and there’s still a lot of things to improve, and that’s the direction we’re headed.

when it’s time to start taking us seriously as title contenders:

I’ll leave that to you guys, honestly. We’re just getting started, and we’re really happy with where we are, and we understand that you can’t control [everything]. Because the emotion is connected, and the painting says what it says, but it’s not something we look at.