Mikel Arteta vowed to defend his players “more than ever” after a shock FA Cup quarter-final defeat at second-tier Southampton but the Arsenal head coach accepted his side must “look in the mirror” after successive losses for the first time this season.

Arteta insisted “the most beautiful period of the season” is on the horizon, with a Champions League quarter-final first leg at Sporting their next match on Tuesday.

After defeat in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City, the Saints prospered at St Mary’s to earn a place in the last four. Shea Charles, a second-half substitute, struck an 85th-minute winner after Viktor Gyökeres arrived from the visitors’ bench to cancel out Ross Stewart’s opener.

“I love my players,” Arteta said. “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.”

Arteta made seven changes to the side defeated by City at Wembley, with...