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Gunners eliminated from title race, admits boss Wenger

14/04/2008

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted his side are now out of the Premier League title race after their 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.

Realistically, the Gunners needed to beat the champions at Old Trafford to keep alive their slim hopes of catching the leaders and second-placed Chelsea.

However, despite taking the lead courtesy of Emmanuel Adebayor's goal early in the second half, a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty and a curling free-kick from Owen Hargreaves secured the win for United.

And afterwards, Wenger said the defeat looked to be the final nail in the coffin of their title challenge.

"Yes we are out [of the title race], of course," he told Sky Sports.

"I think we played with quality and spirit today and I am very proud of our performance, but what can you do?

"I think we got the message in March, we are not stupid, we understood it and we have to accept it."

Wenger said he felt his side were "unlucky" not to take three points from the match, saying the team "had plenty of chances".

But he admitted the team's form over the last eight matches, which has seen them win just once since the middle of February, had cost them a shot at the league crown.

"I just feel that in the last two months we have not been very lucky and we have seen that again," he continued.

"But it's difficult to find an obvious reason for our problems when you watch the game [against United]. With the quality of performance we produced, it is difficult to blame anybody."