Kieran Tierney is confident that Mikel Arteta can get Arsenal back on track after they slipped out of the Premier League's top half.

The Gunners have suffered back-to-back defeats since the Premier League campaign restarted earlier this month, going down 3-0 at Manchester City before Brighton and Hove Albion scored a late winner in a 2-1 victory on Saturday.

Arteta's side have fallen below Crystal Palace and Everton in the table, and 11 points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, though they had the chance to go back up to ninth as they prepared to face Southampton on Thursday.

Former Arsenal midfielder Arteta was hired as head coach in December and although he has been unable to instantly turn around the north London club's fortunes on the field, Tierney spoke glowingly about his impact on the training pitch.

"Every day in training you know you're going there to work," Tierney told Sky Sports.

"There are times for a laugh and a joke - Mikel loves that as well - but when we're working, we're working. It's a lot of tactical stuff as well, and that's going to help us all get an understanding of how he wants us to play.

"I've said before, something like that is not going to just work straight away, it's going to be a process, but there is light at the end of the tunnel and we need to stay focused on that.

"There are going to be bad results and bad games, but as a team we need to keep the confidence, stick together and kick on again."

Tierney stressed the squad are receptive to Arteta's ideas and determined to pick up positive results again having suffered successive defeats for the first time this season.

"All the players are hurting, it's a tough time for everyone at the club, but there are going to be better days ahead," the Scotland international added.

"The last two results haven't been ideal, but the work-rate is still at 100 per cent every day in training.

"We're working so hard and we're working to the game plan that the manager wants. We all believe in it and we're all buying into it."