Coach Mikel Arteta: 'We gifted MU a goal and paid the price'

Coach Mikel Arteta acknowledged Arsenal lost control and threw away their lead, and he confirmed he will defend his squad following the tough loss against Manchester United at Emirates.

Coach Mikel Arteta candidly admitted Arsenal made things difficult for themselves in a 2-3 home defeat to Manchester United, despite having moments of complete dominance in the game.

After the match, the Spanish coach began by praising the opponent: “First of all, credit to Manchester United. We gave them a goal, which is very rare and truly painful. Then, they had two brilliant moments with unstoppable shots from outside the box, while we were not at our best.”

Arteta believes Arsenal lost control after scoring the opening goal: “We started with total control and scored, but then repeatedly lost possession in dangerous areas. From there, the team began to lose control, dominance, and played increasingly carelessly.”

When asked about the response after the defeat, the Arsenal coach emphasized his role in protecting his players: “This is when I need to stand by the players. The consistency they have shown recently is clear. When you lose a match, it is my responsibility to protect them.”

Speaking about the moment when the score was 2-2, Arteta expressed his regret: “I was 100% confident we would get a good result. Right after that, Noni Madueke had a one-on-one chance inside the box. But then from a long ball, they scored.”

Finally, the Spanish strategist noted the title race will become even tougher:“If you want to win, you have to overcome moments like this. Nothing is easy. The margin for error is extremely small, and how we reacted against Man United made it even smaller. Now Arsenal must get up and respond.”