VIDEO: 'Are you okay?' - Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta asked if he has a black eye in awkward press conference exchange after Chelsea win

Despite the high stakes of the title race, the atmosphere turned light-hearted when a journalist mistook a shadow on Arteta's face for a bruise. Instead of discussing the Gunners' set-piece prowess or their defensive resilience, Arteta was forced to field questions regarding his physical welfare after a reporter mistakenly thought the manager had sustained a facial injury during the London derby. The confusion began during the media briefing at the Emirates Stadium when a concerned journalist interrupted the flow of football questions to point out what appeared to be a bruise on the Spaniard’s face. 

"Sorry, it might be the lighting but it looks like you've got a black eye," the reporter remarked, catching the Arsenal boss completely off guard. Jolting forward in his seat with a look of genuine bewilderment, Arteta replied: "A black eye?" The exchange quickly went viral on social media, capturing the surreal atmosphere in the room as the manager tried to process the observation. The reporter, seemingly doubling down on the concern, clarified: "Yes, your left eye. Are you okay?" A brief, expectant silence fell over the gathered media as the 43-year-old manager instinctively reached up to touch the area beneath his eye, checking for any phantom pain or swelling that he might have missed in the heat of the touchline battle. After a moment of self-inspection, he smiled and reassured the room: "Yes, I'm very good thank you." The tension broke as Arteta looked up at the overhead lights, realising that the combination of shadows and studio luminosity had played a trick on the reporter's eyes.

On the pitch, Arsenal took the lead through William Saliba before a Piero Hincapie own goal leveled the scores for Liam Rosenior's Chelsea side. However, the north Londoners showed the grit of potential champions, finding a winner through Jurrien Timber from another well-worked set-piece. This crucial result keeps the Gunners five points clear of Manchester City, who had narrowed the gap following their 1-0 win over Leeds United on Saturday, ensuring that the momentum remains with the Emirates outfit as the season enters its final straight.

Despite the win, Arteta knows the job is far from finished, especially with Pep Guardiola’s side breathing down their necks. The title remains technically in City’s hands given they possess a game in hand and are still to host Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium. Arteta expressed his relief after the final whistle, particularly thanking David Raya for a stunning stoppage-time save that prevented a late Chelsea equaliser. "My heart almost stopped!" Arteta admitted when reflecting on the final moments of the game, acknowledging just how close his side came to dropping points in the race for the trophy.

As the dust settles on the weekend's action, the focus shifts back to the relentless schedule of the run-in. Arsenal's ability to navigate high-stakes encounters like this one suggests they have the psychological strength to go all the way, while Arteta's cheerful demeanour in the face of 'black eye' rumours highlights a manager who is currently enjoying the ride. The Spaniard will now be fully focused on his next tactical masterclass as he aims to bring the Premier League trophy back to north London for the first time in over two decades, and will hope that an injury suffered by Declan Rice doesn't turn out to be too serious ahead of a trip to Brighton on Wednesday.