Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says critics should attack him and not their young players.

Should they be defeated at Chelsea tonight, it will be the first time they have chalked up four straight Premier League losses since 1995.

A fading spark from whizkids Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli has seen Arsenal score just two goals from their last 74 shots.

Yet Arteta wants to protect his talented young crop by shouldering the flak himself.

The Spaniard said: “Hit me, give (it to) me, because I don't want them to be hit because they are not prepared to take that.

“The bill that you have to pay when you have such a young squad is this, that sometimes these things are going to happen (in reference to the poor recent form).

“So, it is so fulfilling and so great to see what they are able to (do) and what they are really doing, which I cannot find a lot of cases very similar to that.

“And on the other hand, when this comes and when the storm comes, you have to be prepared to take it."