Arsenal

Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Mikel Arteta is known for not giving a lot away in his press conferences, so that is why the message from the Arsenal manager in today's briefing felt important.

The Gunners boss came with a clear point to make to supporters and it was one he has made to his players too.

Arteta revealed that he had held a meeting with his squad to "bring the temperature down" after the defeat to Manchester United and called on supporters to "enjoy" the next four months, which in his words could be "beautiful".

The Gunners are having an excellent season and are top of the Premier League by four points even though they are without a win in their last three matches.

Arteta, who has been described as emotional in the past, has worked on controlling himself on the touchline and has got better at getting messages out to supporters using his weekly press conferences.

On Tuesday, he got his point across calmly and clearly and will hope that the next time his side are up against a tough challenge, supporters enjoy the rollercoaster of emotions.

Arteta has previously described the anxious reactions in the stadium as a "willingness to win" and that after three second place finishes in a row, who can blame fans for that?

But with Arsenal still in four competitions and in strong positions in three of them, the likelihood is that they are going to end their wait for a trophy this season.

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Champions League game against Kairat Almaty at Emirates Stadium (20:00 GMT kick-off).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Arteta confirmed William Saliba and Jurrien Timber will miss the game with "some niggles" and Wednesday provides "a good opportunity to get them in the best possible condition for the weekend", while Mikel Merino and Declan Rice are suspended.

• Reflecting on the reaction shown by his side after Sunday's defeat by Manchester United, Arteta said: "It has been excellent. We took a moment to bring the temperature down to pause and reflect. We have earned the right to be in a great position in four competitions. We will play with enjoyment and a lot of courage over the next four games. That is the mindset."

• Asked about a recent lack of goals from his forwards, he said: "I saw incredible things about the same individuals when we won in Milan. Same players and team. We are not far away. It also helps other people contribute. The level of efficiency we have showed in certain actions hasn't helped to raise those numbers higher. Some others are because we probably need to produce more for them. The positive way to look at it is look at where we are."

• Pushed on Bukayo Saka not scoring in 13 games, Arteta added: "Look at what he has done over the past 200 games. It is simple."

• Asked if a potential nervous atmosphere was because of previous second-place finishes, Arteta said: "It's a possibility, but we cannot control that. What happened in the past has to be very powerful for what happens in the future. You have to keep trying. Maybe it is someone else is better and you have to accept. We all channel the energy and live the moment in that manner. It is going to be very enjoyable."

• On nervousness among Gunners fans: "The excitement, conviction, energy and will is the way you have to live when you want to achieve a dream, when you want to achieve something you play for for 10 months. Out of that, some incredible things are going to emerge, things we can't even imagine. That is the only way to live it."

• On opponents Kairat: Every opponent is very tough because they are very used to winning. Looking back at the games they played against Inter Milan and Real Madrid - they made it very difficult for them. Tomorrow, we expect very similar. We have to be at our best because we want to win the game."

Follow all of Tuesday's European news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Watch BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club panel discuss the recent lack of goals from Arsenal's attacking players.

"That's the reality for Arsenal," said former England captain Steph Houghton.

"We've spoken about strength in depth continuously and even though they rotate those players at the moment they aren't producing what they're supposed to.

"Sometimes Arsenal become a little bit too predictable. Now teams have started to work them out.

"I feel as though they could be off the cuff more."

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

Image source, Getty Images

There had been some concerns over Kai Havertz's fitness after his struggles with injury this past year.

But the Arsenal forward was out training with the team before the Gunners' Champions League match against Kairat on Wednesday.

Arsenal are already guaranteed a top-two finish in the league phase so it might be a chance for boss Mikel Arteta to rotate, and also for Havertz to build up his minutes.

The Germany international has played just 59 minutes this term after picking up a knee injury in the opening game of the Premier League season against Manchester United.

Sixteen-year-old centre-back Marli Salmon has also trained with the first team before Wednesday's game at the Emirates stadium.

There was no sign of Jurrien Timber, William Saliba or Mikel Merino in training so I will ask Arteta about that in his news conference on Tuesday at 13:30 GMT.

Merino, alongside midfielder Declan Rice, are suspended for the match after picking up two yellow cards already during this Champions League campaign.

Noel Sliney
BBC Sport senior journalist

Image source, Getty Images

While it is too early in the season to have reached peak 'squeaky bum time', many Arsenal supporters are no doubt literally or figuratively shifting restlessly in their seats.

Sunday's home defeat by Manchester United was their third successive Premier League match without a win, and what appeared a commanding seven-point lead before the weekend has been reduced to a frailer-looking four. Such is the fickle nature of modern football.

But what does history tell us about Arsenal's title chances from what is still an enviable position?

The Gunners have been Premier League leaders at this stage of a season on three previous occasions but only went on to lift the title once - the Invincibles season of 2003-04, when they finished unbeaten.

They had a two-point lead after 23 matches then. That was also the case in 2022-23, with Mikel Arteta's side extending their lead to eight points after 29 games, having played one more than Manchester City, only to capitulate during the run-in.

Arsenal's biggest advantage after 23 fixtures was a five-point lead in 2002-03. The term 'squeaky bum time' originated later that season when then Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was seeking to heap pressure on the Gunners. The north London side duly stumbled, eventually finishing five points adrift as United regained the title.

The Premier League leaders have been at least four points clear at this stage of the season on 20 previous occasions - all but four of those went on to become champions.

Newcastle famously blew a 12-point lead in 1995-96, while Manchester United relinquished a five-point advantage over Arsenal in 1997-98 before the roles were reversed five years later. Liverpool held a four-point lead in 2019 and were unbeaten over their remaining 15 games, winning 11, but were still edged out by a relentless Manchester City.

If we rewind a week to when Arsenal's lead was seven points, no side this century has blown a comparable advantage after 22 matches. In Premier League history, only Newcastle in 1996 and Manchester United in 1998 - with respective leads of nine and seven points - have failed to win the title from a position similar to Arsenal's before last weekend.

Read more from Noel about what history tells us about Arsenal's title chances here

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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Some think Arsenal should go into panic mode after losing to Manchester United at home. Two points from the past nine available in the Premier League seems to tell a story. Then again, consider the current run of one defeat in the past 13 games, and maybe don't push the panic button just yet.

There is, however, the beginning of a concern about the forwards. Staggeringly, Arsenal don't have a single name in the top 20 Premier League scorers' charts. Viktor Gyokeres and Leandro Trossard both have five, miles behind Erling Haaland (20) and Igor Thiago (16) and 18 others.

The Gunners clearly prioritise winning free-kicks and corners, which suits their powerful defenders and midfielders, but you can't win the title using 'special-teams' alone, they have to get more from that frontline.

Mikel Arteta sees the problem, that is why he added Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke to an already talented creative force. The problem appears to be that while Arsenal are successful because of the chaos they manufacture at set pieces, the open play can be too predictable against well-drilled Premier League defences.

Allowing and indeed promoting risk and originality in the final third will be their saving grace, if they can give their creators the freedom to do their thing.

Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter

Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal have been excellent this season but it is fair to say that, despite their strong position in the Premier League and the Champions League, their attack has not really fired this term.

Forwards Gabriel Martinelli and Viktor Gyokeres are the joint-top goalscorers in all competitions with nine each.

Sweden international Gyokeres was signed in a £64m deal from Sporting in the summer as a win-now signing, but has only managed five goals in the Premier League.

The Gunners have been excellent from set-pieces, scoring 15 goals via that route this season in the league - the most of any team excluding penalties.

They have scored 42 goals in the top flight, which is the second-most in the division, but they rank 17th for their percentage of goals from open play which is 57.1%.

On the other side, they have the fourth-highest percentage of goals from set-pieces in the Premier League (35.7%).

This may only be a wobble from Arsenal as they look to win the title for the first time since 2004, but Mikel Arteta will be hoping he can get one of his forwards firing to make it more comfortable.

Karan Vinod
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal's attacking problem this season is not one of territory, control or effort. It is a finishing issue, and a comparison between Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke helps explain why the goals are not coming from wide areas.

Saka remains Arsenal's most relied-upon forward. He has played almost three times as many minutes as Madueke in the Premier League, starting 17 games and continuing to shoulder much of the creative responsibility on the right.

The underlying numbers suggest his role has not fundamentally changed. He is still shooting regularly, averaging 2.9 attempts per 90, still getting into dangerous areas and still posting healthy expected figures of 0.3 expected goals (xG) and 0.3 expected assists (xA) per 90.

What has changed is the outcome. Saka has not scored in his past 13 appearances in all competitions, and while his expected numbers point to involvement rather than absence, his goals per 90 (0.2) underline the gap between chance creation and conversion.

He is hitting the target more often than Madueke and continues to create more chances overall, but the decisive moments are not being turned into goals.

Madueke's profile is different but leads to the same conclusion. His minutes have been disrupted by injury, and his output reflects that lack of rhythm. He has yet to score in the league and averages fewer shots and shots on target per 90 than Saka.

Yet his attacking involvement inside the box is notable. Madueke averages 10 touches in the opposition area per 90, compared to Saka's seven, and attempts more take-ons, succeeding with them at a higher rate.

The issue is what happens after the carry. Madueke's expected goals and assists remain low, his final pass is inconsistent, and his shot volume is not high enough to compensate. He is arriving in promising positions but failing to turn them into end product, a theme that runs through Arsenal's forward line this season.

That broader context matters. Gabriel Martinelli, Viktor Gyokeres and Leandro Trossard are all enduring prolonged goal droughts, leaving Arsenal overly dependent on set-pieces for scoring [xG from set-plays was 0.8 and xG from open play was 0.39 against Manchester United].

The data around Saka and Madueke reinforces that picture. Arsenal's right wingers are still progressing the ball, still pressing, still contributing defensively and still generating pressure in advanced areas. Both average similar numbers for touches and high pressures per 90, underlining their work off the ball.

What is missing is not effort or structure, but ruthlessness. Saka's numbers suggest he should have more goals. Madueke's suggest he needs more volume and sharper final actions.

Until that changes, Arsenal could continue to look like a team that does much right in possession but struggles to finish the job in open play - a flaw that statistics are now consistently exposing.

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Arsenal and Manchester United.

Here are some of your comments:

Arsenal fans

Tim: We should have had the game wrapped up after 30 minutes. A mistake from Martin Zubimendi (who has been brilliant this year) to gift a goal out of nowhere. A blip but one I am sure we will bounce back from and go on to greater things this season.

Craig: Arsenal looked scared and too cautious, trying to avoid losing rather than trying to win. Biggest issue was up front without Viktor Gyokeres. United defenders had no real threat to mark allowing them to press further up the pitch. Arsenal need to take this on the chin and put it behind them for next week.

Nigel: Every game there is no plan B or plan C. Arteta for all his genius is actually getting caught out, easily. United knew what we would do and mugged us off. Arteta has to win something this season or go. He's has no excuses.

Deep: Fair play to United. It's typical arsenal, crumbling once again. It's the hope that kills you.

United fans

Barry: The real test of the United players mentality comes in the next few weeks against the so-called lower teams. We've had these false dawns before.

John: I really do not want to get carried away but Michael Carrick is one shrewd and cool man in charge. Manages like he used to play. Early days yes but he is not to be underestimated.

Chris: Fantastic now we are beginning to see what United can do, Carrick is doing a great job.

Gem: Absolutely wonderful to finally see Saint Michael Carrick galvanise the group. Great goals but wish Bruno would concentrate on leading rather then whinging in the first 25 minutes. Cunha brilliant finish, come on you Reds.

Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

Image source, Getty Images

With a top-two finish already secured in the Champions League and a final fixture against bottom-of-the-table Kairat to come on Wednesday, Mikel Arteta will have a chance to rotate his squad before their next league game - at Leeds on Saturday.

"I think Arsenal are still title favourites but it will be a concern for Arteta what's happened in the last three games against Liverpool, [Nottingham] Forest and now Manchester United," said ex-England captain Wayne Rooney, who is a pundit on Sunday's Match of the Day.

"But I still think they're probably slight favourites."

One cause for concern will be the lack of a clear goalscorer in their side. None of their attackers are freely scoring at the moment, which is putting more of an emphasis on their threat from set-pieces.

• Bukayo Saka – 0 goals in past 13 appearances in all competitions

• Viktor Gyokeres – 0 non-penalty goals in past 11 Premier League appearances

• Gabriel Martinelli – 0 goals in past 13 Premier League appearances

• Noni Madueke – 0 goals in past 25 Premier League appearances

• Leandro Trossard – one goal in past 11 appearances in all competitions

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville thinks that it will be back to the drawing board for Arteta.

"An incredible, incredible match and a sobering day for Arsenal," Neville said on Sky Sports.

"They're going to have to regroup, reset and rethink. They've still got a four-point lead and there's still a long way to go, but certainly there'll be questions asked after that today."

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

It's a shock result.

Arsenal have been in very good form. They're a very good side.

So for Manchester United to go there and win the game is seismic in the title race, 24 hours after Manchester City had cut the gap to four points.

Arsenal appear to have a serious problem scoring goals from open play.

As good as they are as a team, you just wonder if that will be a problem moving forward.

The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is probably the best in European football and they are the foundations of their title bid. But, United came away from home and scored three against them.

It's only one result and one weekend but City winning against Wolves proceeding this big result at the Emirates makes it feel like a pretty big weekend in the title race.

The one thing I do wonder about with Arsenal is, are they going to run out of legs?

I know they've got a big squad but they've had a whole load of injuries over the course of the season which has perhaps not allowed Mikel Arteta to rotate as much as he may have liked.

Given the workload, you just wonder if those injuries at the start of the season, and the pressure going into the business end of the season, affects Arsenal because they haven't got over the line yet.

Until they do, those doubts are there. They have the strongest squad in the Premier League so there can be no excuses.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Former England captain Wayne Rooney has questioned Mikel Arteta's decision-making after Arsenal surrendered their lead and went on to lose 3-2 to Manchester United, suggesting the Gunners boss reacted hastily as the game began to turn against his side.

Arteta introduced four changes after Patrick Dorgu's goal helped United retake the lead against the North London side. This saw the likes of Victor Gyokeres, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze and Ben White being brought on just before the hour mark.

Speaking on the BBC's The Wayne Rooney Show, the former United superstar felt the momentum shift following United's second goal prompted an overreaction from the Arsenal dugout, with a flurry of substitutions disrupting rather than rescuing their rhythm at a critical point in the contest.

"I think there was a panic today. I think Arteta's brilliant, I've praised him a lot," Rooney said. "But I think he panicked after Man United went 2-1 up and to make the four changes at once.

"I think he's panicked and rushed those changes, and rather than let Arsenal try and get back into the game with the players they had on the pitch, I think he panicked with the four changes, and it didn't really pay off, I feel."

Despite the defeat cutting Arsenal's advantage at the top of the Premier League to four points, Rooney believes perspective is crucial as the title race begins to tighten heading into the final stretch of the season.

He added: "I think the main thing for Arsenal now is not to panic because I think that's two points from the last nine. And if you were to give Arsenal a four-point lead at this stage of the season, then I'm sure they would have taken it. But the slight concern is just the last few weeks, only picking up those two points out of nine. So I'm sure Arteta will want to try and get the next win on the table as quick as possible."

Watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

Pundits Wayne Rooney and Danny Murphy join host Kelly Cates to bring you the action and talking points from Sunday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on iPlayer

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Arsenal v Man Utd

• Newcastle v Aston Villa

• Crystal Palace v Chelsea

• Brentford v Nottingham Forest

Alex Howell
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Sunday's defeat is undoubtedly a blow to Arsenal who will feel it is a missed opportunity to maintain a significant gap at the top of the table.

The Gunners had chances in the last two rounds of Premier League fixtures to further extend the gap between themselves and their rivals but after two goalless draws and now a loss to Manchester United, the difference is only four points.

It is still a strong position for Arsenal but one that could be even better if Mikel Arteta's side had taken the opportunities given to them.

Arteta cannot be accused of letting this game pass him by with a quadruple change when the score was 2-1 to United, but the substitutions never gave Arsenal the control of the match he desired.

The atmosphere in the stadium was tense throughout the second half with supporters making their displeasure known to the players on the pitch.

Arteta has spoken about how the groans from the crowd in previous matches was just down to a willingness to win, but this result will be a warning to the manager as he looks to bring the title back to north London.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, spoke to BBC Match of the Day after his side's defeat by Manchester United: "You have to give credit to Manchester United. We gave them a goal which is unusual and painful, then they two brilliant moments with incredible goals. We were not at our best.

"In the first 30 minutes we were in total control, scoring a goal, but after that so many times we gave the ball away in important areas. We started to lose control and dominance and it became a chaotic game.

"The players deserve a lot of praise for the consistency. When we lose a game I take the responsibility and I have to protect the players. We just gave it away. If you want to win you have to go through these moments and you can't expect to win every game, that's unrealistic.

"The margins are extremely small and we made them even smaller. Now we have to react and see what we are made of. The first game is the Champions League [against Kairat on Wednesday]. Today we were not at our level and we paid the price."

Captain Martin Odegaard spoke to Sky Sports: "It was not good enough from us and we need some time to analyse it. We should've done better but now is the time to stick together more, keep working, push each other more and bounce back.

"First half we were the better team, we scored a goal and had control but a lot of giveaways. We managed to get to 2-2 but then they scored straight away.

"It's never going to be easy in this league, we know that. I thought we were well prepared for the game, we started the game well and in the second we saw the momentum change a bit.

"The performance definitely should've been better from us and we have to take the lesson and keep working.

"Every game is a big challenge, this is part of football. We are still top of the league so we have to keep going and bounce back straight away, that's the only medicine."

Did you know?

• Arsenal have profited from more own goals than any other Premier League team in all competitions this season (six). All six of those have come since the start of December, which is at least twice as many as any other top-flight English side have benefitted from in the same period (three for Manchester City).

• Arsenal conceded three goals in a match for the first time since December 2023 (v Luton) - ending a run of 121 matches across all competitions without conceding more than twice.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Arsenal's performance

What did you make of Manchester United's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Mikel Arteta makes four changes to the Arsenal side that beat Inter Milan in midweek.

Gabriel Jesus starts up top after his two goals at the San Siro and Piero Hincapie comes in at left-back for Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Trossard, Jesus.

Subs: Arrizabalaga, White, Lewis-Skelly, Mosquera, Eze, Martinelli, Madueke, Merino, Gyokeres.

Manchester United boss Michael Carrick sticks with the same team that beat Manchester City in his first match in charge last weekend.

The only change is on the bench, where Noussair Mazraoui returns from Africa Cup of Nations duty and displaces teenager Jack Fletcher.

Manchester United XI: Lammens, Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw, Casemiro, Mainoo, Amad, Fernandes, Dorgu, Mbeumo.

Subs: Bayindir, Mazraoui, Mount, Cunha, Malacia, Yoro, Ugarte, Heaven, Sesko.