Mikel Arteta has been told to “hit the reset button” by former left back Nigel Winterburn after a potentially season-altering defeat to Manchester United.

The Gunners were on the wrong end of a five-goal thriller on Sunday after a late Matheus Cunha strike condemned them to their third defeat of the season to leave just four points between themselves and Manchester City and Aston Villa.

Arsenal’s previous history of losing title gaps in the second half of the season has many questioning whether this defeat is the start of another slip down the table but Winterburn has insisted it should not be seen as that but instead, a chance to reset for Arteta and his squad.

“Well it’s a knockback, but it’s quite clear in my eyes,” he exclusively told F365 courtesy of BetWright football betting. “If I’m in this squad, I’m wanting to be four points clear rather than four points behind, and that’s how I look at it.

“I would imagine Mikel Arteta says ‘right push the reset button. 15 games to go. You know what you’ve got to achieve if you want to become champions.’ And that’s basically their end goal. So it’s a setback.

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“But as I said all along, there’s no doubt in my mind, the strength in depth, the quality of this team, this squad, is stronger than any other team in the league.

“They’ve got most people back fit so they are now in a position to rotate as well through the games, and they’ve got to manage that and live up to the expectations of the supporters and show their belief that they’ve got what it takes to go on and win the title.”

Arsenal’ hope to win their first Premier League title in over 20 years could be boosted with activity in the currently open transfer market but Winterburn believes the squad is already good enough to compete across fronts.

“I don’t think they will,” he said when asked if Arsenal will buy new players this month. “I think you’ve heard from Mikel, he will only do so if there is an unbelievable option.

“I don’t think that’s going to happen. In my eyes. I think for this season, they are where they they want to be, and then they take everything they’ve got this season.

“Going forward, Ethan Nwaneri, he’s gone out on loan, I can understand that. But the rest, I think are going to be there for the rest of the season.

“I don’t see anybody coming in, and this squad will be, will be judged at the end of the season, and rightly so.”

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