Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta says he is “very frustrated” with the 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford which leaves the Gunners 15 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
MATCH REPORT: Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal
Enzo Maresca slammed criticism of Chelsea’s scrappy 1-0 victory against Leicester as the Blues boss claimed winning in the Premier League is not as easy as it looks on a “PlayStation” console.
Maresca’s side climbed to fourth place thanks to Marc Cucurella’s long-range rocket in the second half at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
But Chelsea’s largely limp display against second-bottom Leicester still came in for flack from frustrated fans, who booed them off at half-time.
Maresca has previously defended the team’s style under his leadership, which prioritises possession over quick attacks.
And the Italian launched another spirited rebuke of the doubters after pumping the air in delight at Chelsea’s fourth win in their last 12 league games.
“People have to understand this is our way, our style, and this is the way we are going to play”, Maresca said.
“When a team creates the number of chances we created today you have to be happy. It’s not easy. Leicester until minute 83 were 0-0 against Arsenal.
” If you think football is just PlayStation and you win easy? No way. Every game is difficult. The way the players have done today is fantastic.
“Our Champions League target will be also with our fans to support us. When we play at home we need them behind the players”.
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Cucurella’s blast was enough to lift Chelsea two points above Manchester City in the race to qualify for the Champions League via a top four finish.
But there was more frustration for Maresca when Cole Palmer’s first half penalty was saved by Mads Hermansen.
England forward Palmer, who was taken off in the second half having not trained for two days due to illness, has gone eight matches without scoring.
“Yesterday he didn’t train”, said Maresca. “During the night he didn’t feel well, but this morning he woke up and said to me ‘ I want be on the pitch because I want to help this club to play Champions League. ‘
” In the last 48 hours he was very bad with fever and with this bad feeling. But this morning he asked to play and this shows that the players want to bring this club to where it belongs. “
Leicester’s predicament appears increasingly hopeless, beaten for the 12th time in 13 league matches and six points adrift of safety.
” I get good at this after games. A good performance on and off the ball, everything was there and I think the players deserved more, “Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy said.
” We came away with a penalty save to go into half-time at 0-0. It’s the kind of luck you need sometimes to turn things around.
“Lots of positives again but we have to take the blow of taking nothing”.
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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim says his side “cannot play like that” in the future but praises how “competitive” The Red Devils were in their hard-fought draw with Premier League title chasers Arsenal.
MATCH REPORT: Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal
The Gunners sit 15 points behind runaway leaders Liverpool, now with just one game in hand, with their focus beginning to turn to holding off the chasing pack for a place in next season’s Champions League.
Bruno Fernandes’s stunning free kick put United ahead in first-half stoppage time on Sunday.
The Red Devils, though, could not hold on for just a sixth Premier League win in 16 games under Amorim as Rice swept home 16 minutes from time. A point leaves United down in 14th.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was taking charge of his 200th Premier League match.
The Spaniard’s 118 wins in that time place him only behind a stellar cast of Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp and Alex Ferguson in the English top flight.
But his wait for a league title looks set to continue, with Arsenal on course to finish second for the third consecutive season.
United have had three permanent managers and an interim during Arteta’s five years in charge of Arsenal.
Amorim said he knows he will not get the time Arteta did to turn around a sinking ship at Old Trafford.
The discontent among the home support could be seen around the stands, with many taking part in a protest by wearing black in response to what they perceive as “the death” of their club.
Arsenal had failed to score in either of their previous two league games to realistically wave goodbye to their hopes of a first title in 21 years.
Despite still missing the attacking quartet of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, the Gunners hit back in stunning fashion to thrash PSV Eindhoven 7-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Infused with fresh confidence, Arsenal started on the front foot, but again missed the focal point of a natural centre forward.
Midfielder Mikel Merino has been forced to deputise up front in recent weeks and fired wide from the edge of the area with an early opening.
United have struggled for goals all season, but their skipper has remained a source of inspiration and Fernandes produced once more with a sumptuous free kick just before half-time.
Questions will be asked over Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya’s starting position, but Fernandes still had to whip the ball over an imposing wall and back down into the visitors ‘ net.
If Raya was at fault for the opener, he made amends with a string of saves in the second period.
Noussair Mazraoui and Joshua Zirkzee were the first to be denied as United threatened a second on the counter-attack.
Arteta was able to play Martinelli on his return from a hamstring injury in the hunt for an equaliser.
Instead, it was Rice who matched Fernandes’s fine finish by arrowing a shot beyond Andre Onana from Jurrien Timber’s pass.
Amorim had dropped Rasmus Hojlund to the bench after a run of 19 games without a goal.
The Dane twice had chances to snap that streak, only to be foiled by desperate Arsenal defending.
More Raya heroics followed to stop Fernandes from snatching a winner as the match entered stoppage time.
However, a draw did little for Arsenal’s title challenge.