Too many back passes — Patrick Vieira slams Arteta’s tactics in painful Man United defeat

Manchester City closed the gap to four points with a win against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, meaning Arsenal had to beat Manchester United at home to restore their seven-point lead.

However, the Gunners let a lead slip and never recovered as Michael Carrick's Red Devils stole a late win at the Emirates.

Speaking as a pundit for Sky Sports, the former "Invincibles" captain accused the current side of playing with a "fear of failure" that has allowed their rivals to reignite the title race.

Despite taking an early lead through a Lisandro Martínez own goal, Arsenal's dominance faded as individual errors and a lack of creative bravery took hold. For Vieira, the root of the problem wasn't just the mistakes by Martin Zubimendi or David Raya, but a systemic lack of ambition in possession.

Vieira was visibly frustrated by the team's reluctance to take risks against a resurgent United side led by Michael Carrick. He noted that the constant recycling of the ball allowed United to settle into their defensive shape.

“The feeling is that there’s NO risk, there’s too many passes going backwards, not forward,” Vieira said.

“I want Arsenal to be more brave, take a little bit more risk. It’s not just about the result; it’s the way they lose the game. You need a leader to lift the spirit and make them understand that when you are on the field, you have to express yourself.”

The defeat marks Arsenal’s first home loss of the season and leaves them winless in their last three Premier League outings.

While they remain top of the table with 50 points, their lead has been slashed to just four points following wins for Manchester City and Aston Villa.