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. 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.

Source: BBC January 26, 2026 14:31 UTC