Mikel Arteta said his Arsenal players were "fuming" after defensive errors led to a 3-1 preseason defeat to Real Betis in Dublin on Wednesday. The Gunners fell behind early to goals from Rodrigo Riquelme and Nelson Deossa before Piero Hincapié pulled one back. Pablo Fornals added a third before halftime.

Arteta named an unchanged lineup from Friday's 4-1 win over Girona, starting Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyökeres, and new signing Christos Tzolis. Gabriel made his first appearance since Brazil's World Cup exit. Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga failed to claim a corner for the opener, while Deossa scored a 30-yard thunderbolt. Hincapié headed home after Tzolis' corner was misjudged, but Fornals restored the two-goal cushion.

Wholesale halftime changes killed momentum. Arteta acknowledged disappointment but noted context: "We used 25 players." He highlighted positives from the first half but stressed the need to improve defensive standards. "A bad result sometimes creates even more fire in the belly," he said.