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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Arteta makes title race admission</li><li>Arsenal lose 2-1 to Fulham</li><li>Gunners could slip five points behind Liverpool</li></ul>

'Our worst game of the season' - Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal will be 'nowhere near' the title if they repeat 'sloppy' performance in costly defeat to Fulham

Premier League

Nottingham Forest

Fulham

Wolverhampton

Despite taking an early lead at Craven Cottage through Bukayo Saka, <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/arsenal-player-ratings-fulham-nketiah-saka/bltf3422c9ce45be469" target="_blank">Arsenal lost 2-1 to Fulham</a> on New Year's Eve to record their second defeat in three days. The Gunners put in an underwhelming performance, one that forced manager <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/player/mikel-arteta/etf1n9y07i3sxiys514vj7ufp" target="_blank">Arteta</a> to make an admission about the <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/premier-league/2kwbbcootiqqgmrzs6o5inle5" target="_blank">Premier League</a> title race.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Arteta gave a frank interview with <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/67256002" target="_blank">BBC Sport</a> after the match, and said: "Really tough day. A sad day. Three days ago [2-0 defeat by West Ham] we played a game we lost that we completely meant to win it, today was our worst game of the season. The pace, the purpose we have in attack, defensively we were second best, we could not dominate and had issues because of that."We didn't do enough with that [possession] - not enough purpose speed or threat. We were sloppy with the ball. It wasn't good enough. We didn't deserve to win. When you have opportunities to go top of the league on 31 December and now end up with a really bad feeling - that is football. The lines are really thin."If we play like we played in the other 19 games we will be up there [in the league at the end of the season]. If we play like today we will be nowhere near. Today was a really difficult day to swallow."

WHAT ARTETA SAID

Back-to-back defeats since Christmas Day have seen Arsenal drop from top of the table to fourth, just one point ahead of north London rivals Tottenham. Arteta's side will fall five points behind league leaders Liverpool if Jurgen Klopp's side beat Newcastle on New Year's Day.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

In each of the previous six seasons that Arsenal have topped the Premier League table on Christmas Day, they have failed to go on and win the title.

DID YOU KNOW?

Arsenal have now got a week to regroup and prepare for a huge FA Cup third round clash against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners will return to league action on January 20 against Crystal Palace.

WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

'Our worst game of the season' - Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal will be 'nowhere near' the title if they repeat 'sloppy' performance in costly defeat to Fulham | Goal.com English Saudi Arabia

Mikel Arteta has admitted that Arsenal will be &quot;nowhere near&quot; winning the Premier League title if they play like they did in their defeat to Fulham.

&apos;Our worst game of the season&apos; - Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal will be &apos;nowhere near&apos; the title if they repeat &apos;sloppy&apos; performance in costly defeat to Fulham