Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta insisted he remained proud of his players’ performance despite exiting the FA Cup after defeat to 10-man Manchester United on penalties on Sunday.
Arteta’s men had the advantage for almost the entire second half of the game after Diogo Dalot was sent off following two cautions early after the interval.
Bruno Fernandes had given the Red Devils the lead, but the Gunners equalised immediately after Dalot’s sending off thanks to Gabriel Magalhaes’ goal. However, missed chances was the subject matter of the day as Arteta’s men bottled their chance to end a five-year trophy drought.
Captain Martin Odegaard saw his penalty saved by United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir and then Kai Havertz and Declan Rice missed huge chances before 90 minutes of normal time ended.
After another 30 minutes of extra time, Havertz was the only player to miss in the shootout as Bayindir saved from the spot.
“It was unbelievable,” said Arteta. “[Based on] the performance we deserved to win the game by a mile, but the reality is that we are out and the only thing we will be judged on is that.”
Arsenal have ended in second to Manchester City in each of the past two Premier League seasons, but this term, they have not lived up to expectations of a further push to finally lift the title.
Arsenal are behind Liverpool, who also have a game in hand, by six points in the Premier League title race and were beaten 2-0 at home by Newcastle in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final.
Arteta, though, rushed to the defence of his players with attentions now placed on Wednesday’s north London derby against Tottenham.
“I love my players, I love our team and I love how good they are,” the Spaniard added.
“In 1,000 games [like this] you lose one and it was this one. But it is part of our industry, our game and we move on because we don’t have time and on Wednesday we have a massive one.”
