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Arsenal’s former captain Patrick Vieira has questioned the Gunners’ “mental strength” in the Premier League title race after they lost at home to Manchester United.
Matheus Cunha scored a sensational 87th-minute winner to clinch a 3-2 victory for Michael Carrick’s United and leave leaders Arsenal stunned at the Emirates Stadium.
The result has alarm bells ringing for Arsenal, whose lead at the top of the Premier League is reduced from seven to four points following a three-game winless run.
“They’re still four points clear, but there’s still questions about the mental strength of the team,” Vieira told Sky Sports.
“It’s not just that they lost the game, it’s the way they lost the game. (Bukayo) Saka and (Leandro) Trossard didn’t produce enough to worry United.
“They need a leader to lift the spirit of the team. They need to understand when they are on the pitch they have to play with more energy and more risks. They have the quality.
“They didn’t play with the freedom to express themselves.”
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Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard was left despondent following their 3-2 defeat against Manchester United.
Arteta responds to Vieira criticism: We accept every opinion
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was asked about Vieira’s comments and accepted his team will have to show mental strength to achieve their targets this season.
He said: “That’s fine, we accept every opinion, where it comes and where it’s coming from and they will have the right reasons to say it. At the end we have to show the mental strength that we have on the pitch when it comes to a match day and we were absolutely brilliant in Milan and today we weren’t that good.
“I don’t know if it was mental because of how much they played but because we were poor, especially technically in certain aspects of the game against a team that, when you make those mistakes, they can punish you big time and that was the difference.”
Keane: Arsenal look frightened of the challenge
Sky Sports’ Roy Keane:
“Pressure was on Arsenal today. They saw the other results; they have everything going for them in all competitions. That is pressure; they are feeling the pressure.
“It is how they deal with it. That’s what has cost them over the last few years when they have got themselves in good positions.
“The sign over the last few weeks. The Liverpool game, the Forest game and today. Losing that momentum.
“I can’t believe they don’t look like a confident team. Play the game, they are obviously playing the occasion.
“They have to get back to basics and embrace this challenge instead of being frightened of it.”
