A visibly frustrated Mikel Arteta abruptly walked out of a live Sky Sports interview following Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United, a result that further dents their Premier League title hopes.

The draw leaves Arsenal 15 points behind league leaders Liverpool, who have played one more match. As speculation around Arsenal’s lack of attacking reinforcements continues, Sky Sports’ Patrick Davison pressed Arteta on whether he regretted not signing a striker—a hotly debated topic among fans.

Arteta Shuts Down Title Talk

When asked about the decision not to sign a striker, Arteta firmly responded, “No. It’s not about that,” before walking away. Davison attempted to follow up, asking about the widening gap in the title race, but Arteta simply said “no” and left the interview.

In his post-match press conference, Arteta took a more measured tone, acknowledging Arsenal’s struggles. “We know the urgency; you’re obligated to win every match. I don’t think it’s the right moment to talk about the title race.”

Missed Chances Cost Arsenal

Despite dominating possession, Arsenal failed to capitalize on their chances. Instead, United came close to securing the win, only denied by a string of brilliant saves from David Raya.

“We were exceptional in the first half, but we didn’t test the keeper,” Arteta admitted. “We rushed the game, lost duels, and could have ended up losing.”

Controversy Over Bruno Fernandes’ Goal

A major talking point was Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick goal, with controversy surrounding the placement of the ball. The Arsenal wall stood 11.2 meters back instead of the regulation 10, raising questions over whether Fernandes moved the ball himself.

“Football is for smart players,” Arteta said when asked about the issue. “If Bruno was clever enough to take advantage, then he was smarter than us and the referee.”

Declan Rice: “We Were Naive”

Arsenal goal scorer Declan Rice was even more critical of his side’s performance.

“We had some beautiful play but lacked a cutting edge,” Rice said. “In the second half, we were naive and almost gave the game away.”

Rice also questioned the free-kick decision: “It felt like the wall was too far back. Anthony [Taylor] is the ref, so it’s his decision.”

Despite the setback, Rice vowed Arsenal would keep fighting: “Liverpool have been amazing, but we’ll keep going. We’re Arsenal. We’ll be all right.”