Mikel Arteta has admitted Arsenal aren’t at Manchester City’s level - and they can’t close the gap in three months.
City were crowned Premier League champions on Saturday after the Gunners lost 1-0 at Nottingham Forest.
It was a painful end to the season for Arsenal, who have led the way at the top of the table for so long but took nine points from their final 24. City have now claimed their fifth League title in six seasons, while they are chasing a treble this season.
And asked if it is possible to match them, Arteta said: “Yeah but this is my job, this is our job, this is my job and this is what this club deserves. It wasn’t enough.
“I know we’re not at that level, but we have to find a way. This is not enough. It’s not going to change in three months time.
“We need to be at that level but we need to find other ways to do it. For example today we needed to play much better. This is my responsibility.”
Arsenal struggled as they lost to Forest, with Arteta explaining afterwards that some players could only train for 30 minutes in the build-up to the defeat.
“Really sad day,” said Arteta. “A lot of difficult emotions. We lost the game and we lost the championship after 10 and a half months fighting for it and nine and a half months almost on top.
“We built a lot of enthusiasm and belief that we could go all the way and win it. At the end we fell short. First of all, congratulations Man City. They are the champions and they deserve to be champions.
“They’ve done it for 38 games. We haven’t been able to do that. That’s it. From my side apologise because we have generated that belief that we could do it and at the end the team couldn’t do it. That’s my responsibility.
“Today it’s just sadness. You see people who have put so much work, so much belief, so many hours and I’m sad.
“I’m sad for them because we wanted to find a way and squeeze everything we had from that group and find alternatives to reach certain levels and if we don’t reach those certain levels then try to reach them in other ways.
“We fell short. This is my job, my responsibility. I have to analyse that and think.”
