Shaw rues ‘sloppy’ show

LUKE SHAW branded the failure to beat Arsenal as unacceptable after Manchester United dropped more points in the title race.

Three days after losing 2-1 at home t o bottom- of- t he- t able Sheffield United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side created the better chances but were held to a goal l e s s draw a t Emirates Stadium by a weakened Arsenal.

Edinson Cavani, in particular, was guilty of two glaring misses in the second half as United fell three points behind l eaders Manchester City, who also have a game in hand.

‘We didn’t look like we wanted to play,’ said Shaw. ‘We created the chances and failed to score again and it cost us two points. At times we were too slow. Second half we were sloppy and gave the ball away.

‘We dropped points in midweek and again here. If we want to be in the title race, we have to be winning these games. I don’t know what more to say.

‘The chances we had, I don’t think it’s acceptable to come away with a point.

‘ I felt we were in control. Arsenal had a spell but we were comfortable and had countless massive chances we haven’t taken.’

Solskjaer was a little more phlegmatic over the result but admitted that United’s failure to take their chances in goalless draws away to Liverpool and Arsenal, when both opponents were missing key players, has proved costly.

‘Every game in the Premier League is tight but the two you’re talking about we feel we were close to winning them,’ said the United boss.

‘We had two massive chances a gai ns t Li verpool a nd t wo massive chances today that were put wide. To get those four extra points we need a little bit more quality and to be more clinical.

‘Today with the chances we had we feel that we should have won it, but then you have to score to win.

‘ Definitely that’s something I want my forwards to sort out. They’ve scored so many goals throughout their careers.’

A new club record of 18 away games unbeaten in n the top flight was as the only consolation tion for Solskjaer.

‘That’s a great achievement by these players and the group,’ he added. ‘It just shows how far we’ve come as well — 18 games is a long run but we hope to get some more wins, of course.

‘We don’t think about the title race now, we’re in January. The disappointment on Wednesday was big, but today gives us more belief again because we feel we dominated and created enough big chances to win the game. You can never control that result, though.’ Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was happier with t he point, given that his team was without PierreEmerick Aubame y a n g , Ki e r a n Ti e r n e y and Bukayo Saka. ‘I thought it was a fair result,’ he said. ‘I think both managers probably think they should have won it. ‘We played face to face against each other and both t eams wanted to win it. ‘The fact we had three of our best players out probably had an impact but I was really happy with the players that played today.’

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Solskjaer is winless in five PL games as a manager against the Gunners — he’s the only United boss to face them in the top flight more than once without a win