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Mikel Arteta says Arsenal 'dropped the standard' in loss to Man Utd
Arsenal have been defeated at home for the first time this season.
The Gunners were on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline against visiting Manchester United on Sunday, with the visitors shrugging off a first-half deficit and a late game-tying goal by the home side to claim all three points.
Not only was it the first home loss in any competition this season for the Premier League leaders, but Sunday's match was also the first time a visiting team has scored three or more times in a match during the current campaign. Man United did it by pouncing on a fatal back pass by Martin Zubimendi for Bryan Mbeumo's 37th-minute goal before Patrick Dorgu and Matheus Cunha each struck for long-distance goals in the second half.
"First of all you have to congratulate Manchester United for the victory," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told Sky Sports. "It happened in a really strange way.
"We were really dominant in the first 30 minutes and we scored, then we gave them the goal and that transformed the momentum and energy. After that we dropped the standard with the ball, then they had two magic moments with the goals they scored and in big games you need these moments.
"We were carrying that negativity but when we got it for 2-2 and you feel 'game on'. But then one long ball, one pass and Cunha scores so it's a very painful one."
This weekend saw Arsenal's primary challengers for the league title — Manchester City and Aston Villa — each win their respective matches and narrow the Gunners' lead to just four points. Given the club's inability to hold on to the top spot in the standings in recent years, it would be natural for Arsenal fans to start worrying if this lead will also eventually evaporate.
Arteta doesn't see it that way however, and he urged everyone connected to the club to back the players as they looked to maintain their place atop a cutthroat title race.
"The players have given us so much joy and performances - they deserve to be reminded how good they are," Arteta said.
"We have to learn from it. Defeats are part of winning and you have to take them and remind the players how good they are. When you draw or don't win and lose that's when you have to show the togetherness and unity.
"To get where we want to be, defeats are part of that for us, as for any team. We have to do the small things better than we have done today but sometimes with the goals you have to give credit to the opposition."
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