Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta avoids title race talk after 1-1 draw vs Man United

Arsenal drop crucial points at Old Trafford, falling 15 behind Liverpool—Arteta refuses to admit title hopes are over.

Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes took another major hit after their 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford. The last season’s runners up are now 15 points adrift of league leaders Liverpool. However, manager Mikel Arteta refused to admit that the title race is over.

Honours even in the north west.

All the key moments from this afternoon's 1-1 draw with Manchester United 📺 pic.twitter.com/pvchJkcTnp
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 9, 2025

During the press conference following the match, when asked if he still believed in the title race, Arteta remained defiant saying, “I don’t want to say that. Today the frustration is that we haven’t won the game. We know the urgency, and we are obligated to win every single match if we want to have any chance of doing that. I don’t think it is the right moment to talk about that.”

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Arsenal needed a win to keep their slim title hopes alive, but Manchester United scored late in the first half when Bruno Fernandes curled in a free-kick past David Raya. It took them till the 74th minute to find their equalizer through a Declan Rice goal.

The result marked Arsenal’s third consecutive game without a win. They’ve dropped seven points in that span. Meanwhile, Liverpool need only 16 more points from their remaining nine games to secure the title. Thus, making Arsenal’s path to a first league triumph since 2004 increasingly unrealistic.

Frustrated Arteta walks out of interview amid title questions

Arteta’s frustration was evident even after the press conference during his post-match interview with Sky Sports. The Gunners’ boss looked increasingly irritated throughout and left abruptly when he was asked if Arsenal’s title hopes were over.

Reporter Patrick Davison initially stopped Arteta from leaving early to ask about Arsenal’s title chances. However, the Spaniard refused to answer and walked off, saying only, “No, thank you.”

Arteta is visibly frustrated and walks away when asked about strikers and whether title is gone pic.twitter.com/pQs6kD6Ayq
— EmanDaGoon™ (@EmanDaGoon) March 9, 2025

Earlier in the match, Arsenal’s defensive setup was questioned after United’s goal. Fernandes’ free-kick benefited from an unusual decision from referee Anthony Taylor. He positioned Arsenal’s wall 11.2 yards away instead of the standard 10.

This gave Fernandes an easier angle to score. Arteta acknowledged this post-match: “If Bruno is on that, football is for smart street players. If he’s done that and capitalized, he was more clever than us and the referee.”

After a disappointing Premier League outing, the Gunners will be shifting their focus to the Champions League round of 16 second leg clash against PSV set to be played on Wednesday. While the Gunners’ confidence will be low after the draw, it still shouldn’t matter much with a home advantage and a 6-goal lead over PSV from the first leg. Their progression to the quarter-final seems inevitable.

Arsenal

EPL

Manchester United

Mikel Arteta

Premier League

Moumita Dutta

soccer

Football writer at The Playoffs. I’ve been obsessed with the beautiful game since I was a kid.. Eventually, I realized I could combine my passion for writing with my love for football, and I’ve never looked back. My favorite part of the job is everything—when you’re doing what you love, even a late-night deadline feels like extra time in a thrilling cup final. Lastly, Lionel Messi is the GOAT.