Man U loses ground in title race, drawing 0-0 with Arsenal

LONDON (AP) — Manchester United lost vital ground in the title race after drawing 0-0 against Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.

United had a string of clear chances throughout the match, but the visitors couldn’t convert and grab the three points. Instead, the Red Devils dropped two and remained in second place with 41 points, three behind rival Manchester City — which has a game in hand — at the top.

And to make matters worse, City on Saturday was able to do what United couldn’t on Wednesday — beat bottom side Sheffield United.

But United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wasn’t focused just yet on the fight to win the league.

“We don’t think about the title race or the title now,” he said. “We’re in January.”

Arsenal extended its unbeaten run to seven matches and remained ninth with 31 points.

“I thought it was a fair result,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. “I think both managers think we should have won it.”

Solskjaer made five changes after the Sheffield United defeat and his team had the bulk of chances in the first half, with Fred’s shot from the edge of the area drawing a fingertip save from Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno in the 20th.

When central midfielder Scott McTominay came off with stomach cramps in the first half, the United manager made a positive substitution, bringing on forward Anthony Martial to try to bring the game to Arsenal.

“I felt we had the upper hand,” Solskjaer said. “And we wanted to get on the ball more.”

There was one big positive for the United manager as his team set a club record 18 away games unbeaten in the top tier.

w“It’s like an NBA season — traveling on the road again,” he said. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes came close a few times, including a free kick just outside the area before halftime. The ball looked like it would narrowly clear the wall but Luiz headed the ball backward and over the crossbar. The Brazilian celebrated the clearance by pumping his