Arteta Admits Arsenal Fell Short After Costly Home Loss to Manchester United

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has openly admitted that his side failed to perform at their best in Sunday evening’s 3–2 Premier League defeat to Manchester United, while also giving credit to the Red Devils for making the most of the situation.

The Gunners were beaten at the Emirates Stadium following goals from Bryan Mbeumo, Patrick Dorgu and Matheus Cunha, a result that has tightened the title race significantly. Arsenal now sit just four points clear of second-placed Manchester City, turning what once looked like a comfortable lead into a tense advantage.

Speaking after the match, Arteta did not shy away from self-criticism. He acknowledged that although his team began brightly and took early control, they allowed United back into the game through avoidable mistakes.

“Credit to Manchester United. We were not at our best,” Arteta said.
“We started with total control, scored a goal, but after that, we gave the ball away so many times in dangerous areas. We started to lose control and dominance.”

His comments echoed what many fans observed—an Arsenal side unusually careless in possession and unable to sustain pressure against a well-organised United team led by Michael Carrick.

Opinion: A Timely Wake-Up Call for Arsenal

Arteta’s honesty is refreshing, but it also highlights a growing concern: Arsenal cannot afford lapses like this at such a crucial stage of the season. The Gunners have built their title challenge on control, discipline and consistency—qualities that briefly deserted them on Sunday.

Manchester United deserve credit for their ruthlessness, but Arsenal largely beat themselves by gifting chances and losing composure. In a title race where margins are razor-thin, such errors can quickly erase months of hard work.

Still, this defeat could serve as a valuable wake-up call. Arsenal remain top of the table, and how they respond in the coming weeks will define their season. Champions are not just judged by how they win—but by how they react when things go wrong.

With pressure mounting and rivals closing in, Arteta’s men must rediscover their sharpness, or risk seeing their title dream slowly slip away.