Mikel Arteta has refused to concede the title race is over, despite Arsenal languishing 15 points behind Liverpool after a 1-1 draw at Manchester United on Sunday.
Arteta’s side have played 28 games, one fewer than Liverpool, but Arne Slot’s team need a maximum of only 16 points from their final nine matches to become champions. Arteta was asked if deep down he believes the Premier League title will again elude Arsenal.
The Spaniard said: “I don’t want to say that, but today the frustration is that we haven’t won our game, we know the urgency and you’re obligated to win every single match. You won’t have any chance without doing that. I don’t think it’s the right moment to talk about that.”
Arsenal have now dropped seven points in their past three games. Arteta was asked why. “Today the efficiency we had in the last 20 metres wasn’t good enough. We know that. To come to Old Trafford and do what we did was superb but you have to capitalise and today we didn’t and then we have to overturn a result and you know how difficult that is here.”
While being interviewed on Sky Sports after the match, Arteta walked off when asked if the title race was over.
Bruno Fernandes’s free-kick strike just before half‑time was cancelled out by Declan Rice’s 74th‑minute equaliser. Anthony Taylor, the referee, ordered Arsenal’s wall back 11.2 yards for Fernandes’s goal, more than the regulation 10, meaning United’s captain could flight his kick over it more easily.
Arteta said: “They [his staff] just mentioned that. If Bruno is on that, football is for smart street players and if he’s done that and capitalised on that, he was more clever than us and the referee.”
United’s point takes them to 34 with 10 games left. Ruben Amorim praised Fernandes’s contribution. “What I can say is we need more Brunos, that is clear,” the head coach said. “Not just the quality and the character, he makes some mistakes but in this league the availability is so important and he is so decisive with and without the ball.”
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Amorim said Leny Yoro was withdrawn because of a foot problem and was unsure if the defender would be available for Real Sociedad’s visit in the Europa League on Thursday.