Needing a win at the Reebok Stadium to keep their hopes alive, Arsene Wenger's side instead lost 2-1 to Bolton Wanderers, a result which leaves them nine points behind the Reds before next Sunday's head-to-head meeting at the Emirates.
The Gunners' defeat - their first in the league since losing to United at Old Trafford on 13 December - was sealed by Tamir Cohen's last-minute header. Bolton's first goal was also a header - Daniel Sturridge, on loan from Chelsea, gave his parent club something to celebrate when he nodded home from a corner seven minutes before the break.
Robin van Persie equalised for Arsenal just three minutes into the second period but when Wojciech Szczesny saved Kevin Davies' penalty for Bolton, it proved only to be a stay of execution and Cohen eventually confirmed the visitors' fate.
Arsenal will mathematically be unable to win the league if they lose at home to United; a draw would leave them needing to win their last three games while the Reds lose to Chelsea, Blackburn and Blackpool, and Chelsea lose to Spurs, Newcastle and Everton.
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