Arteta refuses to blame PSG focus after Arsenal’s disjointed Palace draw

Mikel Arteta admitted his side were below their best after Arsenal let a lead slip twice in a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace — a result that delays Liverpool’s Premier League title celebrations, but only briefly.

Jakub Kiwior and Leandro Trossard scored either side of Eberechi Eze’s stunning volley, but Jean-Philippe Mateta pounced on a late mistake from William Saliba to earn Palace a point and ensure that Liverpool’s coronation will not come until at least Sunday.

Arteta cut a disappointed figure post-match, lamenting his team’s inability to control proceedings despite twice going in front. “We had possession, we went ahead twice, but the game wasn’t dominated the way we normally do,” he said. “We were below our standards in some areas.”

While Arsenal’s unbeaten run remains intact, their title challenge is over. Liverpool remain 12 points clear and need just a draw against Tottenham Hotspur this weekend to confirm a record-equalling 20th top-flight title with four games to spare.

Arteta refused to blame the looming Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain for his side’s disjointed performance. “We still have six days to prepare that match,” he said. “I don’t want to use that. We were just not at our best, and we were short with the number of players who were able to train.”

The manager also admitted that a worrying number of dropped points in recent weeks had a common theme. “We haven’t been able to see games off,” he said. “There are many reasons — sometimes the opposition, sometimes discipline, but the margins have been too small.”

Gabriel Martinelli thought he had made it 3-1 in the second half, but his goal was ruled out following a lengthy VAR check. Arteta said he had not seen a replay of the decision.

Leandro Trossard continued his good run of form with another important goal and drew praise from Arteta, who called him “a consistent player who can make the difference in any moment.”

With Ben White and Mikel Merino both unavailable, Arsenal’s squad situation remains unclear heading into Tuesday’s clash with PSG. Arteta admitted he could not say much about the lineup until he sees who is available.