'Unacceptable; no hope' – Odegaard and Arteta downbeat as Arsenal title hopes fade

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Arsenal's 3-0 defeat at home to Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday means Manchester City need only one win to claim the title

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and captain Martin Odegaard look dejected during the Gunners' 3-0 loss to Brighton in May 2023.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and captain Martin Odegaard were understandably downbeat after the Gunners' 3-0 loss at home to Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday.

Second-half goals from Julio Enciso, Deniz Undav and Pervis Estupinan sealed a big win for Brighton in their fight for a place in Europe next season, but the result left Arsenal's title hopes in tatters as they lost a game they simply had to win.

"We have to apologise for the performance in the second half. It was not acceptable," Arteta told BBC Match of the Day.

"Mathematically, it's still possible but now it's impossible to think about it. We need to digest the result and the performance in the second half, understand why and have a different reaction."

"It is going to be very difficult now, we have to be honest. It is tough to take," Odegaard told Sky Sports.

"It is not a good feeling at the moment. The way we played, particularly in the second half. I don't know what happened to be honest.

"It feels like there is no hope now."

Ben Hayward
Ben Hayward
Freelance Writer

Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.