What was expected to be a crucial weekend in the Premier League title race may not be over yet, but it’s already proving to be a painful one for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who is “very angry.”
The Gunners entered Saturday’s match against West Ham knowing that a win, combined with a Liverpool loss at Manchester City on Sunday, would bring them close to the Premier League leaders with a game in hand.
It was a golden opportunity for Arteta’s team, but they failed to seize it, delivering a lackluster performance against West Ham, a side they had beaten 5-2 at London Stadium in November. Arsenal managed just two shots on target in a 1-0 loss.
Jarrod Bowen’s first-half goal was the match-winner, and any hopes of a late comeback were dashed when Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off 17 minutes from time.
A Liverpool victory at the Etihad would see Arne Slot’s team move 11 points clear at the top of the table, a lead that now appears nearly unassailable, even with Arsenal’s game in hand after this weekend.
When asked about his team’s chances of winning the title, Arteta said: “It’s not in our hands.”
“I’m extremely frustrated by the things we can control — the performance and the result.”
“[We were] far from the standards we need to reach to win the Premier League. I’m fully responsible for that, so I’m very angry.”
Arteta’s disappointment was echoed by captain Martin Ødegaard, who acknowledged the Gunners “lacked efficiency” in the final third against Graham Potter’s side.
“It’s a big setback,” he told BBC Sport. “Our performance wasn’t good enough today. We need to review and analyze the game, but it wasn’t up to standard.”
On Match of the Day, former England players Alan Shearer and Danny Murphy both suggested the title race might already be decided, with Liverpool’s lead at the top looking too difficult to close.
“I don’t see Arsenal winning all their remaining games while Liverpool has a slip-up,” Murphy said. “Even when Liverpool plays poorly, they still find a way to collect points.”
