Arsenal earned a 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford to to take the Premier League title race to the last day of the season.
Leandro Trossard scored the only goal of the encounter to move the Gunners one point clear of second-placed Manchester City having played a game more.
The Gunners were not at their fluent best but Manchester United failed to take advantage of it as they also struggled to make things happen in the game.
Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta admitted that the team started to play safe after Trossard’s goal in the first half.
He said: “We needed a result today in a really difficult place. Our history was not in favour of a result today, there was so much at stake and we’re happy with the result.
“We started the game really well and were dominant. We scored the goal and I think the goal led to slightly bad things because we started to play too safe, too sideways, too backwards with not enough structure.
“We started to give the ball away in good areas and that is a danger against them. But we defended well and didn’t concede too much.”
Arsenal finished the season unbeaten against the top teams in the Premier League this season.
The Gunners boss however, praised his players for their phenomenal performance against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Arteta said: “Today we weren’t composed, clean enough, consistent enough and doing the simple things right. That doesn’t give you control of the game.
“Some of the players have not been in this position, they don’t know what is at stake and how you feel emotionally to have to win and win and win from December or January.
“It is a phenomenal thing they are doing.”
Arteta and his team will be relying heavily on Tottenham to get a positive result against Manchester City on Tuesday.
A win for Ange Postecoglou’s side will put the Gunners in the driving seat going into the last day of the season next Sunday.
The season continues to go from bad to worse for Manchester United, they have only won once in their last nine games in all competitions to put pressure on Erik Ten Hag.
The Dutch manager was disappointed with his team’s showing in front of their fans.
Ten Hag said: “Yes, but it’s still disappointing. I want to win, it doesn’t matter who we face on the pitch. We have to win every game and give everything.
He refused to blame Casemiro for the goal that earned his side a second consecutive defeat in the Premier League.
He said: “It’s a small detail, one layer makes a mistake and it opens up. Before that in possession we could have done better in better positions and better options. It’s details.”
Manchester United have a date with Newcastle United on Wednesday at Old Trafford.