Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has apologised to Gooners in the wake of their crushing 3-0 Premier League defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, which effectively ended their hopes of top-flight glory.
The Gunners were second best all afternoon against Roberto De Zerbi's inspired troops, who battled to a deserved win thanks to Julio Enciso, Deniz Undav and Pervis Estupinan.
Arsenal had witnessed Manchester City establish a four-point lead at the top by beating Everton earlier on Sunday, but the Gunners could not respond in a meek display at the Emirates.
Captain Martin Odegaard admitted that it feels like Arsenal have "no hope" left in the title race, which will be mathematically over if Man City overcome Chelsea next weekend.
While Arteta is refusing to throw in the towel given that it is still mathematically possible for his side to finish first, he expressed remorse at "letting people down" with Sunday's abject performance.
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"A really different feeling to the feeling that we all had last Sunday when we felt proud and we felt that we really did what we needed to win in certain moments. Today is completely the opposite. We have to apologise for to our people especially for the second half," football.london quotes Arteta as saying in his post-game press conference.
"What I have to accept first is what happened in the second half and digest it. Look individually at what happened in the second half. After that until it's mathematically over...
"The second position is secure. That's not going to change. We have to digest and that will take a few days. Obviously what the team has done over the last ten months is very different to what anybody expected and that generates a lot of expectation as well enthusiasm, happiness and joy.
"That's something that has to be managed in the right way and after we have the responsibility to make sure the team performs and I am responsible for that. So I hate the feeling of letting people down when they are expecting something. That's the biggest regret I have today and I have to apologise for that."
Enciso was left unmarked to head home the opening goal after 51 minutes, and the goal was allowed to stand despite Evan Ferguson appearing to catch Jakub Kiwior's ankle in the build-up.
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Arteta was in no mood to discuss contentious VAR calls, though, adding: "I don't know. We're not gonna change that. We had no flow. We had some big moments, especially when we won the ball high up the pitch, there are six situations where we should have done much better.
"In the second half we started to lose certain runners, we lost a lot of duels in our own line, conceded two really poor goals. We had no answer to that. That's the reality. After the second goal we had no answer and I am responsible for that."
The Gunners were dealt an early blow when Gabriel Martinelli was forced off inside 20 minutes, having felt the full force of a rash challenge from Moises Caicedo, and he was seen sporting a protective boot at full time.
When asked for an update on Martinelli's condition, Arteta had no good news to share, adding: "We don't know. He's in a boot at the moment. He was very uncomfortable, and he could not carry on playing. We need to scan him and see the extent of that injury."
The Gunners now prepare to travel to Nottingham Forest next Saturday, before Man City have the chance to wrap up a third successive title at home to Chelsea a day later.
Ben Knapton
