Mikel Arteta told why he is to blame for Arsenal's shock FA Cup defeat to Southampton

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has plenty of questions to answer after watching his side crash out of the FA Cup to Championship side Southampton on Saturday

Micah Richards believes Mikel Arteta is to blame for Arsenal's FA Cup exit to Southampton. The former Manchester City defender has criticised Arteta for not playing his best team in the 2-1 defeat.

Saturday's shock loss at St Mary's Stadium means another chance of silverware for the Gunners has gone. The quarter-final exit follows their Carabao Cup final loss to Manchester City before the international break. Arsenal have not won a major trophy since the 2020 FA Cup.

Arteta's team are still in a good position to win their first Premier League title since 2004, with the Gunners nine points clear of second-placed Manchester City, albeit having played a game more. They also face Sporting in the Champions League last eight with the first leg in Portugal on Tuesday.

But Richards has told BBC Sport why blame for letting another trophy slip can be pinned on Arsenal's head coach.

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He said: “You have to play your best team. There is going to be so much noise around it.

"With Arsenal against Man City you can get beat in a final. Last night, you asked me if I would play David Raya. I don’t think it was anything to do with him in terms of them losing, but you have to play your best team.

“It was only a couple of weeks ago people were saying Arsenal could do the quadruple, now they are in two competitions. Man City, after what they did beating Liverpool 4-0, look like they are going to push them all the way for the league and the Champions League – anyone can win that.

“The most disappointing thing for me was watching them and their attitude. They have been excellent defensively, in transitions they have been very good, the shape has been good and the effort has been as good as anyone. For them to turn up the way they did against Southampton, I thought was very poor.”

The Gunners now face a pivotal few weeks in their season. They face Bournemouth in the league next weekend after their mid-week trip to Portugal.

Then, after the second leg against Sporting, they play a potential title decider against City on Sunday, April 19. And Arteta knows his team still have plenty to play for.

Speaking after the Southampton loss, he said: "I love my players. What they have done for nine months. I'm not going to criticise them because we lost a game here in the manner that they tried.

"And the way they are putting their bodies through everything. Some of them probably didn't even have to be here today. I'm not going to do that. I'm going to defend them more than ever.

"Someone has to take responsibility. That's me and we have the most beautiful period of the season ahead of us. And now is the moment. In the season, you always have moments. Normally two or three. This is the first moment that we have.

"With a certain level of difficulty – we're going to say difficulty when we're going to play the Champions League quarter-finals and the run-up for the league. If this is a difficult period, I believe there are many other ones that are much more difficult. So stand up, make yourself comfortable and deliver like we’ve been doing all season."