Arsenal

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

It is not in question that Mikel Arteta has transformed Arsenal since taking over as manager in 2019.

Arteta has got Arsenal back into the Champions League after a seven-year absence and led the Gunners to two second-placed finishes in a row in the Premier League.

That progress renewed optimism in north London and, after pushing Manchester City to the final day of the Premier League season in the last campaign, many thought this would be the year that Arsenal finally lifted silverware.

However, Arteta has been dealt a number of blows throughout this season with injuries to key players such as Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Ben White.

When any Arsenal player speaks about winning trophies in interviews, they say that they are 'desperate' to win silverware and captain Odegaard used that phrase in his pre-match programme notes against Manchester United.

Reaching the semi-final of the Carabao Cup is not Arsenal's main objective but it did give them the hope of a trip to Wembley and also gives Arteta the chance to lift a trophy which is what those who criticise his side point to.

That feeling of desperation of wanting to win a trophy and the frustration of missed chances against Newcastle, spilled into the Manchester United game, as Arsenal missed opportunities and failed to break down a side that played with 10 men for nearly an hour.

It is by no means a season that has completely derailed. Those at the club would point to Arsenal being on the same points in the league as they were last season.

However, two losses back-to-back at home in cup competitions has started to create a feeling that it may be another campaign where Arsenal miss out on the top prizes.

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Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson believes "there are rumblings of unrest" at Arsenal. Mikel Arteta's hunt for silverware continues but Sunday's defeat to Manchester United means the FA Cup is no longer viable.

"There are a lot of fans saying that he isn't the man to take them over the finish line to win the big trophies," Robinson said on BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast. "Listening to a few different phone-ins on the way home, there are a lot of disgruntled Arsenal fans.

"I get that. I get the emotion after the game and you understand that. But what they're saying is about how pragmatic he has become.

"The focus on the defence, the imbalance of the squad and how heavy he's recruited in defensive areas. Goalkeeper-wise and in defence, yes they are excellent. What is missing? Straight away you would say number nine. You would also say they've got Kai Havertz who can play as a number nine.

"The truth of the matter is that they are missing a clinical striker week in and week out.

"I think there are rumblings of unrest there with Artetamoaning about the balls in the League Cup and post-match he said: 'It's not fair that you can't play that well'.

"What type of manager comes out and says it's not fair? He's got his back to the wall at the minute."

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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's FA Cup game between Arsenal and Manchester United.

Here are some of your comments:

Arsenal fans

Guy: Extremely disappointed by the loss. We have a lack of a killer instinct yet again. Another game where we had possession and shots but couldn't convert. It isn't unlucky at this stage - it's poor coaching, a poor team and poor player purchases in recent windows. Our front line is toothless without Bukayo Saka.

Dan: If that isn't Mikel Arteta's cue to either get into the transfer market for an attacker or leave, I don't know what is. Yet again, useless in the final third!

Jude: Laboured and uninspired performance. Now that Gabriel Jesus is injured, we cannot continue pretending to have a forward. Let's sell Kai Havertz and use the money on a striker who doesn't spend half the time crawling around.

Vince: I've been a staunch follower of Arteta's policy that eschews the need to splurge on a natural forward. This loss, and the one to Newcastle in the league cup, tell me I've been severely myopic, if not downright blind. We're still in the January transfer window and with Jesus sidelined for who knows how long, please go get that striker before the month ends and our hopes with it.

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Man Utd fans

Andy: Grit. Determination. Desire. All we want to see as United fans, great performance now we need to replicate that as a baseline rather than just against the 'big' teams. A confidence builder for sure

Chris: The last two games have shown a glimpse of what this team are capable of, but it will be the next two games that will really show the true mentality change. If they are positive, hopefully the second half of the season will move towards another trophy and a far more respectable league position than currently.

Agim: Something good is in the air. Something good is building. Two hard games away and United have believed in themselves and got rewarded for it. Respect for Ruben Amorim for not letting his guard down and making the players understanding the importance of playing for Manchester United.

Peter: Even though it was an extremely difficult watch - especially the first half - you can see that Amorim had a strategy and a plan to contain and beat Arsenal. To do it with 10 men was phenomenal. Arsenal should have won this game but the steely determination and togetherness Amorim has instilled in this team is fantastic. If these players had fought like this for Erik ten Hag, he'd still be in a job. Amorim's got everything it takes to succeed, let's just hope he gets as much time as Fergie did because he is a winner.

Image source, Getty Images

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Mikel Arteta says the knee injury picked up by striker Gabriel Jesus is a 'big worry' after he was stretchered off in the FA Cup defeat to Manchester United.

Jesus picked up in injury when he challenged Bruno Fernandes at the edge of Arsenal penalty area in the first half.

The Brazilian was then stretchered off and immediately after the game his manager Mikel Arteta is not positive about any assessment.

"Big worry, that's my feeling." Arteta said.

"He had to come off on a stretcher with a lot of pain, touching his knee. It's not looking good.:

"The worrying factor is the feeling that he had. When he had to come off and the pain that he was in."

It is a blow for Arsenal and Arteta as Jesus had just come back into form.

The 27-year-old had scored six goals in his last seven games and had given Arteta another option in Saka's absence.

As well as key man Saka being out, Arsenal are without Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Riccardo Calafiori were all unavailable through injury.

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Mikel Arteta spoke to the BBC after Arsenal's defeat against Manchester United: "It's unbelievable. Obviously, you measure the performance and what we did in relation to the position, you-know, you deserve to win the game by a mile.

"But the reality is we are out and the only thing that's going to be judged it that but internally I can't.

"I love my players. I love our team and I love how good they are and what they do because in 1000 games, you should loose one and probably it was this one. You have to understand this as well, it's part of our industry, our game and move on because you don't have time to do that because on Wednesday we have a massive one."

"It's football and it is a part of that execution, you need things to go your way and tonight it didn't."

"When you go to penalties you know that it's a flick of the coin and it can go either way."

"It's an incredible team. I'm so proud of my players. I love my players and I cannot be prouder because it's very difficult to demand something else than the performance that they put in there."

"The ball has to go in the net and then you have to batter the opponent, that's the reality.

On Gabriel Jesus going off injured: "No update but it's not looking good. He was in quite a lot of pain, he had to come off on a stretcher and he's not looking good."

Image source, Getty Images

Martin Odegaard created 10 chances today against Manchester United, the most by a Premier League player in a game across all competitions this season.

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Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

The FA Cup third round continues on Sunday, with several Premier League teams in action:

• Tamworth v Tottenham (12:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Arsenal v Manchester United - watch live on BBC One, iPlayer, the BBC Sport website & app

• Crystal Palace v Stockport - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Ipswich v Bristol Rovers

• Newcastle v Bromley - watch live on Red Button, iPlayer, the BBC Sport website & app and listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Southampton v Swansea (16:30)

All kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction