Arteta Reacts as Arsenal Suffer Painful Home Loss to Manchester United

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has urged his players to show resilience and character after a dramatic 3–2 home defeat to Manchester United reignited the Premier League title race.

The Gunners missed a golden opportunity to tighten their grip at the top of the table on Sunday. Victory at the Emirates Stadium would have pushed Arsenal seven points clear, but costly lapses and moments of individual brilliance from United turned the contest on its head.

Arsenal made the perfect start when Lisandro Martinez diverted the ball into his own net, giving the hosts early control. However, United gradually grew into the game and found a way back before the break through Bryan Mbeumo’s equaliser.

The visitors struck again shortly after halftime when Patrick Dorgu unleashed a stunning long-range effort to put United ahead. Arsenal thought they had rescued at least a point late on as Mikel Merino capitalised on a mistake from United goalkeeper Senne Lammens to level the score.

But the relief was short-lived. Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha silenced the Emirates with a superb strike from 25 yards, sealing a memorable win for United and handing Arsenal their first defeat in 13 matches across all competitions.

The result has tightened the title race significantly. Instead of opening a commanding lead, Arsenal now sit just four points above second-placed Manchester City and third-placed Aston Villa, who secured a 2–0 victory away at Newcastle.

Reflecting on the defeat, Arteta admitted his side failed to maintain their standards at crucial moments.

“The margins are extremely small and we made them even smaller,” the Arsenal boss said. “Now we have to react and show what we are made of. We were not at our level today and we paid the price.”

He added: “In the first 30 minutes, we were in total control and scored, but after that we gave the ball away too many times in important areas. We lost control, lost dominance, and the game became chaotic.”

The loss ended Arsenal’s 18-game unbeaten home run in all competitions and marked their first defeat at the Emirates since May. It also added to recent concerns among supporters following goalless draws against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

Despite the setback, Arteta insisted the title challenge remains firmly in Arsenal’s hands, even as pressure mounts during the decisive phase of the season.

“The players have given us so much joy with their performances,” he said. “They deserve to be reminded how good they are. Defeats are part of winning. When you don’t win, that’s when unity and togetherness matter most.”

Arsenal, who have not won the Premier League in 22 years and have not lifted a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup, now face a crucial test of their mentality. Having let significant leads slip in previous title races, the coming weeks could define their season.

“To get where we want to be, setbacks like this are part of the journey,” Arteta concluded. “We have to learn from it and move forward together.”

The Trenet