Arsenal boss Unai Emery claimed that his side stuck to the game plan despite another disappointing performance that saw them lose 2-0 to Leicester City, putting more pressure on the under-fire Spaniard.

Arsenal needed to win to keep pace with the top four, but Jamie Vardy and James Maddison struck in the second-half to leave the Gunners nine points off the Champions League place with 12 games gone.

The defeat puts further pressure on Emery, who was disappointed with the result but pleased to see his players stick to his game plan despite having just one shot on target.

"We can be disappointed with the result but with the attitude of the players, they did the game plan we prepared for," he said.

"We started the first-half by having chances by controlling the game, and at the start of the second half too, in our moment like we wanted.

"They created some chances too and when they scored the first goal, that's when we lost the opportunity to do something in that match.

"The attitude was good, the game plan was prepared for and the players did that.

"The other team are in a good moment, at home and feeling strong.

"We had chances, we had our moments, to reduce the deficit, but they had chances too and scored two goals to win."

Emery did admit that Arsenal must improve defensively after conceding their 17th goal in the Premier League this season to drop to -1 goal difference.

"We need to improve defensively," he said.

"I think we had a good balance today in the first-half.

"When they scored the first goal, maybe that's the moment we lost the balance.

"But the possession was 50/50 and also we kept the ball, we took the possibility of playing with the transition sometimes.

"Sometimes we were also keeping the ball and getting forward with our full backs because we have good full backs in attack with Sead and Hector. I think the players felt good today in the balance of that system."