Manager Arsene Wenger said Arsenal were left with nothing but disappointment after a 1-1 draw with champions Manchester United, despite his league leaders making history on Sunday.
Arsenal made a record 30-game unbeaten start to a season in the English top-flight but were denied victory when United substitute Louis Saha struck four minutes from time to cancel out Thierry Henry's 50th-minute goal.
PHOTO: AP
"We are very disappointed," Wenger told a news conference at Highbury. "But football lasts 90 minutes and we conceded a goal at a moment when we didn't expect to.
PHOTO: AP
"When you do not kill the game off like we had opportunities to and with the fatigue creeping in ... I was a little bit anxious," Wenger said as he recalled the closing minutes.
But he added: "Overall, today is a day to celebrate a remarkable consistency for this team, because 30 games unbeaten is a tremendous record.
"The positive thing is that we achieved those 30 games -- and we will try to go for longer -- and we kept Manchester United at 12 points. Two months ago, we would have signed for that and Chelsea at seven points."
Wenger, whose side drew 1-1 at Chelsea in an exhausting Champions League quarterfinal first leg last week, summed up: "We came out of the dressing room disappointed, but overall I'd highlight the positive side of this team.
"It's remarkable what they've done in one week against Chelsea and Manchester United."
Though United manager Alex Ferguson said after Sunday's game that he believed Arsenal would be this season's champions, Wenger said: "It's not done. There's a long way to go."
Ferguson was pleased with United's display and was sporting about Arsenal's prospects in the last eight games of the season.
"I think they will go on and win the league now. I'm sure of that," he told Sky Sports News. "They're playing with great determination, a very strong team.
"In the main we defended very well and at times we played some good football. We were a threat in the second half and Ruud [van Nistelrooy] could have won it for us in the last few minutes.
"But in the main I think it was a game in which Arsenal had probably the better chances but never really controlled the match.
"The atmosphere of today was tremendous -- great intensity and great commitment from both teams. I think we just reminded everyone that we're not dead yet."
As for next weekend's FA Cup semifinal between the same two sides, Ferguson said: "It's going to be a close game, there's no question of that. The evidence is all there today.
"Our record at Villa Park is good and we'll have support over there, which makes a difference from today ... We showed our desire today and we'll show it next Saturday too."
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