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Arsenal midfielder Kai Havertz feels the pain of fans after the team came up second-best in a close Premier League title race with Manchester City on Sunday. The Gunners beat Everton 2-1 at home, but City pipped them to the title.
Starting the final day of the season two points behind Pep Guardiola's side, the Gunners needed to beat Everton and hope that City would drop points at home to West Ham United.
The writing appeared to be on the wall for the Gunners, as City burst to a 2-0 lead at the Etihad, thanks to Phil Foden's brace inside 18 minutes. Meanwhile, Idrissa Gueye opened the scoring for Everton after 40 minutes, but Takehiro Tomiyasu restored parity within three minutes.
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With West Ham pulling a goal back through Mohammed Kudus in the 42nd minute, hopes of an unlikely title win for the Gunners reappeared. But Rodri quickly doused that with a 59th-minute strike to seal the deal for the Cityzens. Mikel Arteta's side eventually found a winner of their own through Kai Havertz, but it wasn't enough to usurp City.
Reflecting on the titanic title race, Havertz told TNT Sports (via BBC) that the team gave it their all, but it wasn't meant to be:
"I feel sorry for all of the Arsenal fans - for us - we gave our best, but it wasn't enough. Maybe in two or three months we can say 'it was a good fight', but right now, I feel like we deserved more.
"It wasn't enough in the end, but we go again next year. Sometimes it isn't fair in football, but we have to accept it. Football is hard, but hopefully we can go again next year and give the Arsenal fans what they need and what they are all here for."
The Gunners eventually finished runner-up to Manchester City for the second straight year, with Pep Guardiola's side becoming the first team to do a Premier League four-peat.
How did Kai Havertz's Arsenal fare against Manchester City this season in the league?
Arsenal have had a fabulous season even if it didn't end with snapping their 20-year-old Premier League title drought. The Gunners gave Manchester City a good run for their money all season.
After beating Pep Guardiola's side on penalties in the FA Community Shield, the Gunners shocked Manchester City 1-0 at the Emirates, their first league win in the fixture in nearly a decade. Gabriel Martinelli settled the tight contest four minutes from time.
As if to prove that the result was no fluke, Kai Havertz and Co. drew goalless at the Etihad. But as things turned out, Mikel Arteta's side fell short in the title race yet again as City reigned supreme for the sixth time in seven years.
