Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta conceded “it wasn’t meant to be” after his side were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Brentford on Thursday night, February 12.
The draw forced Arsenal to miss the opportunity to stretch their advantage at the summit of the Premier League to six points.
In a match played at full throttle in west London, Arsenal had to show patience before finding a breakthrough. It came through Noni Madueke, who rose well to head home and put the visitors in front, briefly silencing the home crowd.
Brentford, however, refused to give up. The hosts responded with purpose and were rewarded when Keane Lewis-Potter struck to bring the Bees level, setting up a tense finish as both sides chased a decisive goal.
Arsenal thought their moment had arrived late on. Gabriel Martinelli found himself clean through with a golden one-on-one opportunity, only to be denied by goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher, whose save ensured the points were shared.
Reflecting on that pivotal moment, Arteta said: “We had a massive chance in the end, one-v-one for Gabriel Martinelli but it wasn’t meant to be.”
The Spaniard also addressed the growing intensity of the title race, insisting his players must maintain focus as the campaign gathers pace.
“We have to do our job and come to all these places like the rest of the teams,” he said.
“You have to be at your best every game and have the luck as well you need in games to conquer the three points each week.”
The result keeps Arsenal firmly in the hunt, but reduces their lead to four points ahead of second-placed Manchester City.