Arsenal lost 3-2 at home to Manchester United on January 25, 2026. The defeat at Emirates Stadium marked their first Premier League home loss since May 2024, and their first this season.
Despite the setback, YouTube personality and staunch Arsenal supporter KSI publicly backed the Gunners’ Premier League title chances. “Everyone’s terrified!” he claimed, referring to rival teams, as he supported Mikel Arteta’s side to overcome their long-standing title hoodoo, according to Goal.com.
United Secure Comeback Victory
Manchester United, under interim manager Michael Carrick, secured a comeback win. Arsenal initially took a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute through a Lisandro Martínez own goal. But United responded quickly. Bryan Mumo and Patrick Dorgu scored before halftime, giving the visitors a 2-1 advantage.
Arsenal equalized in the second half. Mikel Merino found the net, making it 2-2. However, Matheus Cunha scored the winning goal for United in the 87th minute. This secured a 3-2 victory for the visitors, their first at Arsenal since December 2017. Carrick earned his second straight win as interim boss.
Title Race Tightens for Arsenal
The loss significantly impacted the Premier League standings. Arsenal remains at the top with 50 points after 23 matches. But their lead was cut to four points. Manchester City and Aston Villa both sit on 46 points, occupying second and third place. Manchester United climbed to fourth with 38 points, 12 behind Arsenal, ESPN reported.
Arsenal’s recent form shows vulnerability. They’ve collected just two points from their last three league games. They also scored only two goals in that period. This was the first time they conceded three goals in a match since December 2023. Manager Mikel Arteta acknowledged the pain. “Very painful,” he said. “We gifted them a goal, which is quite atypical for us. This shifted the momentum… we lowered our standards with the ball, losing control.”
“Very painful… we gifted them a goal, which is quite atypical for us. This shifted the momentum… we lowered our standards with the ball, losing control… we carried some negativity and lacked the fluidity.”
— Mikel Arteta
The Gunners are chasing their first Premier League title since 2004, a 22-year wait. They don’t have a 20-goal striker this season, with Leandro Trossard and Viktor Gyökeres leading with five league goals each. ESPN analysis noted an “anxiety-ridden Emirates” and “fear of failure suffocating Arteta’s side,” according to ESPN.
Looking Ahead
The Premier League season has 15 matches remaining. The title race remains open. Arsenal’s next fixture is a Champions League clash against Kairat. After that, they travel to Leeds United for their next Premier League match. Leeds has only one loss in their last ten games across all competitions.
Soureesh Datta 
Priyanjan Paul 
Govind Singh