Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal to demonstrate the mental fortitude needed to clinch the Premier League title after suffering a tense 3-2 home loss to Manchester United.
The Gunners concluded the weekend with only a four-point lead over Manchester City and Aston Villa, following Matheus Cunha’s spectacular strike in the 87th minute, securing United their first league victory at Arsenal since 2017.
Lisandro Martinez’s own goal in the 29th minute gave Arsenal an early advantage, but a blunder by Martín Zubimendi allowed Bryan Mbeumo to equalize just eight minutes later.
Patrick Dorgu’s excellent volley in the 50th minute put United in the lead, and despite Mikel Merino’s scramble for an equalizer in the 84th minute, Cunha’s late goal sealed Arsenal’s third league game without a victory.
Former Gunners captain Patrick Vieira remarked to Sky Sports after the match that “there are still some questions regarding the team’s mental strength” as they strive for their first league title since 2004. In response, Arteta stated: “That’s perfectly acceptable. We embrace all opinions, regardless of their source, and they have valid reasons to say so. finally, we must display the mental resolve we possess on match day.”
“We were fantastic in Milan [beating Inter 3-1 on Tuesday], but today we weren’t at that level. I’m not sure if it was mental fatigue from their exertions [in Italy], but we underperformed technically in crucial areas against a team that’s ready to capitalize on mistakes. That was the key difference.”
Some fans booed Arsenal at full time, even though this was their first loss since May 2025, while they lead both the Premier League and Champions League standings.
“That’s irrelevant,” Arteta responded when asked about the reaction. “We must do more; perhaps this performance isn’t sufficient. We need to push ourselves. We must give our utmost effort.
“When you do that, you can find peace. Today, we genuinely aimed to perform at our best, but we weren’t efficient enough against a well-organized team, and we were punished for our errors.”
“This is the first time I’ve sat here this season after a home defeat. It’s all part of the journey toward winning. Otherwise, no one would lose matches in football. It’s about how we respond to this, and I truly believe, because I know those players in the dressing room and how much we desire it, that we will bounce back swiftly.”
Arsenal will play Kairat Almaty on Wednesday in their final group stage match of the Champions League. Arteta’s squad has already qualified for the round of 16 and can complete the group play with a flawless record should they win.
