Three things we learned from Arsenal defeat as Gunners lose composure while atmosphere proves a hindrance | OneFootball

Gunners beaten at home by Manchester United as Premier League title race is blown wide open

It took until late January but Arsenal have finally been beaten at home this season.

Matheus Cunha's brilliant strike with three minutes remaining settled it, so soon after Mikel Merino's finish had potentially set up a grandstand finish.

The Gunners had taken the lead through Lisandro Martinez's own goal, but the script was flipped by goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu.

Title race wide open after nervy run

Put the red ribbons away for now.

Any talk of this being an Arsenal cruise to the title came to a shuddering halt.

After their title rivals both picked up wins this weekend, Arsenal fell to their defeat on home soil and the gap at the top is now just four points. A week ago, the Gunners had the chance to make it nine points.

Dejected: Mikel Arteta salutes the Arsenal fans following the loss to Manchester United

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A three-match winless run has come just at the time when Arsenal could have stamped their authority on the title race.

Games against United and Liverpool have offered the chance for statements to be made, for Arsenal to show this year is different.

Those have not come and instead Arteta's side have allowed the title race to open right up. They are still the favourites, but three nervy, unconvincing performances in a row do not bode well.

Arsenal lose all composure

For half an hour, all seemed well for Arsenal.

They were made to wait 30 minutes for the opening goal, but it had been coming for much of that period.

Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard were bright, Arsenal's press forced United to go long and they were out-muscling the visitors, allowing them to sustain the attacks. Of the first 16 duels in the match, Arsenal won 13.

Then Arsenal scored. And then Arsenal, bizarrely, looked completely lost.

They were sloppy almost straight from kick-off and Bruno Fernandes could have scored. Only a last-ditch William Saliba challenge then kept the United captain at bay shortly after.

Mistake: Martin Zubimendi

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Arsenal were suddenly woeful on the ball and Martin Zubimendi's terrible back pass, straight to Mbeumo to score, summed that up.

From a position of strength, some woeful game management gifted United back into it before half-time and Arsenal hardly improved on that front after the break.

The attacking plan increasingly became give it to Bukayo Saka, and then Noni Madueke, and hope for the best. Calm, cool heads were sorely lacking.

Torturous atmosphere a hindrance

Arsenal, evidently, did not help themselves, but the mood in the stands only exacerbated things.

At the first sign of the momentum shifting, the tension among the Arsenal fans swiftly spread and would have been impossible for the players to ignore.

Even before half-time, a heavy touch from Gabriel Jesus brought huge groans around the Emirates. So too a loose Trossard pass. Every mistake brought far too much emotion.

Once Dorgu scored his second and United took the lead, the air of desperation had almost an angry feel.

On edge: Arsenal supporters

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On three occasions, Ben White hesitated over a throw-in as he waited for an option, and the cries from the Arsenal fans in response were almost at fever pitch.

The frustration was there right through to the final whistle, when there were some boos from the home fans.

This felt like a torturous experience for the supporters, with the best part of four months still to go in the title race. It cannot be sustainable.

Arsenal need to be better than they were here, but the atmosphere needs to also be much, much more helpful.