Mikel Arteta frustrated by Arsenal ‘s inability to take the next step Arsenal

The mood would have been similar after Martin Ødegaard had leveled the scoreline at 2-2 with 54 minutes played, which was a strong response to Cristiano Ronaldo’s short concession. “We were in our best moment then,” Arteta said. “We had complete control and domination. Then you have to take the next step and go and win.

However, Arsenal made a spectacular save. Ødegaard was allowed to take it quickly by the referee, much to the dismay of the goalkeeper who wasn’t prepared.

1-0 Arsenal had to manage with a reduced squad after 44 minutes, as Bruno Fernandes got sent off for a needless foul away from the game’s action.

Even in a 3-2 situation, Arsenal had a chance to equalize without ever giving the impression that they would take one, and that would certainly be their most egregious loss of the season.

For Arteta, the overall picture remains positive. Return to the lowest downturn – the period before the last day of slaughter, when the club was five points away from 10 Premier League matches. Since then, they have played 38 matches in the competition – which is equivalent to the whole season – and have accumulated 70 points. It is among the top four.

But the next step Arteta mentions has often overtaken them, especially in high-profile games away from home. There were breakthroughs last season, in particular 1-0 win over Old Trafford in November and another 1-0 victory over Chelsea in the last weeks. United’s result was the first away win in the league with the so-called big six competitors since January 2015, when they won defeated Manchester City 2-0 With paint by Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud.

After the series in City and Liverpool this season, Arteta had wanted a liquidation result at United; to his players to show that they would not crumble under pressure. It didn’t happen, and it was hard not to confuse the shortcomings all over the field with the lack of collective experience. The average age of Arteta’s assembly was over 24 years.

Who were the older players and where were they? They were captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 32, and Thomas Partey, 28 – backed by Mohamed Elneny, 29, who had gotten to the top of the league at the start of the season. Arteta remembered how well Elneny had done in a similar match last season and liked more about her smooth technique at 22-year-old Albert Sambi Lokonga.

No one really expected Elneny to dominate midfield, especially since he had played so little football lately, but Partey’s performance alongside him was a real disappointment. Partey was loose at times and could not force herself.

Which brings us to Aubameyang, which has four league goals for the season and clearly struggling. It was a moment early when he closed Victor Lindelöf to help Arsenal win the ball in a good area, suggesting he was driving a team. It was a single highlight, his evening marked by strange scratches with his finish; lack of strength and conviction. He didn’t beat De Gea in the singles 78 minutes, even if the offside flag would save him confusion. Nevertheless, it reflected his weak self-confidence.

Arteta has not been blessed with many other senior players, as Alexandre Lacazette, 30, and the injured Granit Xhaka, 29, are the only ones she seems to trust. That means the trip will inevitably take on evenings like Thursday, with attention focused on the bugs and holes at both ends in the middle. It doesn’t make them any less frustrating.