Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's head coach, spoke openly after his team lost at home to Manchester United in the latest English Premier League match.
On 26 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Mikel Arteta, manager of the "Gunners" Arsenal, congratulated the "Red Devils" Manchester United, who came away with a 3-2 victory over his team in the Premier League's big match last Sunday night. He took full responsibility for the defeat and did not blame his players at all.
Arteta said, "First of all, I want to congratulate Man United on their win. I think we started the game very well. In the first half-hour, we completely controlled the game, played in the areas we wanted, scored a goal, and had two more golden chances. But after that, we conceded a goal to them. We gave them hope, and from that moment until halftime, we faced difficulties."
"In the second half, the game opened up more. They scored a beautiful goal to take a 2-1 lead, showing the individual quality of their player. It was a magical moment in a big game. But with substitutions, we equalized. Then Cunha scored perfectly into the corner, which caused us to lose the momentum and all the good energy we had built, allowing them to win the game."
"Of course, I am very disappointed. But when we lose, I must take responsibility and stand by the players because that is what they deserve. The players deserve a lot of praise for their consistency so far. If you want to be champions, you must get through these moments. You cannot expect to win every game. That is the reality."
As a result of this defeat, Arsenal remains with 50 points and continues to lead the Premier League, but now only holds a 4-point lead over second-placed Manchester City.