Theo Walcott today insisted there have been no developments in his contract negotiations but has hinted at his frustration over a lack of playing time.

The 26-year-old has been linked with a move to Liverpool or Manchester City amid ongoing speculation about his future with talks continuing over an extension to his current deal, which has a little over one year left to run.

It is understood that both parties are happy to wait until after Arsenal’s final game of the season - the FA Cup Final against Aston Villa on May 30 - before stepping up negotiations.

Walcott missed last season’s Final with a knee injury that sidelined him for nine months and has yet to re-establish himself in the first team. Yesterday’s 18-minute cameo was his fifth successive substitute’s appearance, none of which have lasted longer than 21 minutes.

“No, I can’t give you an update on the contract situation,” he told Standard Sport. “I just want to continue playing my football and we will see where it takes me at the end of the season.

“Of course [it has been frustrating]. Any player wants to play. I want to play. I have been out for a long time. The manager was patient, I have been patient myself.

“I haven’t expected to be where I was before I got injured. But when given the opportunity, I need to be ready and focused at all times because it is not just about the starting line-up, it is about the whole squad.

“It worked for me yesterday - it was a bit of a break and I am very happy. I have been training very well and that’s the best I can do to impress the manager. When given the opportunity in a big game and a massive arena like Old Trafford, it is not going to do you any harm.”

Manchester United vs Arsenal - player ratings 21 show all Manchester United vs Arsenal - player ratings 1/21 David de Gea: 7 Saw plenty of the ball as his colleagues passed back to him but much less from Arsenal attacks, though a spectacular punch reminded United fans of what they may well be missing next season. 7 Jan Kruger/Getty Images 2/21 Antonio Valencia: 8 When you are tasked with covering Alexis Sanchez he will get the better of you. But Valencia showed determination and intelligence whilst covering the Chilean. He will have few tougher tasks as a right-back, but he rose to the challenge expertly. 8 3/21 Chris Smalling: 7 A captain’s performance from the first time skipper, he brought composure to the back line and showed that he has greater skills on the ball than many of his critics credited him with. 7 4/21 Phil Jones: 5 Everything his colleague was not, Jones looked cumbersome in possession and struggled to deal with the physicality of Giroud. One of a few United players who showed no lack of willingness but hardly a surfeit of talent. 5 GETTY 5/21 Marcos Rojo: 7 A fine performance at left-back from the Argentinian, his combination play allowed United to overload on that flank and create more than one great chance. His defensive talents were not particularly required. 7 getty images 6/21 Daley Blind: 6 Too slow to deal with Arsenal’s pacy counters early on, but his distribution from the base of United’s midfield helped them assert domination in possession. 6 getty images 7/21 Ander Herrera: 8 A smart finish from the box-to-box midfielder was the best moment from another excellent performance as Herrera stood out alone against such a richly talented midfield. 8 GETTY 8/21 Marouane Fellaini: 7 He may not be dominating the headlines as he was during United’s charge up the table but he remains a vital, if blunt, weapon in van Gaal’s side. His presence alone seemed to be occupying half of Arsenal’s defence, giving his colleague’s space to operate. 7 getty images 9/21 Ashley Young: 8 His combination play with Fellaini and Rojo was potentially devastating early on and he continually gave Mata a dangerous out ball. Couple that with consistent coverage of the attack-minded Bellerin and it was another excellent game for the winger. 8 10/21 Radamel Falcao: 6 Industrious early on, but effort not matched by quality. His colleagues put him in great positions but he did nothing with the chances. United fans seemed pleased with his effort but it was hardly a performance to strike fear in the Gunners. 6 GETTY 11/21 Robin van Persie: 5 His stuttering form was summed up by his inability to stay onside when Herrera could have slipped him in behind the defence. Is he gone as a major force? It certainly seems possible. 5 Getty 12/21 Victor Valdes: 6 Would be disappointed to have conceded on his debut but could do little to halt the tide as Arsenal grew dangerous late on. 6 GETTY 13/21 David Ospina: 6 Should have done better than a mild flap at Herrera’s shot but otherwise proved himself to be a consistent presence whose positioning made his saves look easier than they were. 6 14/21 Hector Bellerin: 4 Found himself overrun by United’s attacks down the left in what was a trying game for the right back. His defensive challenges limited his urge to get forward, leaving Arsenal with next to no attacking presence on the right. 4 GETTY 15/21 Laurent Koscielny: 7 A vital block midway through the first half was part of an excellent performance from the Frenchman, who so often found himself covering for his colleague’s failing. 7 Getty 16/21 Francis Coquelin: 5 Dawdled on the ball too often and struggled in his duel with Fellaini. This was perhaps his worst performance since Wenger thrust him into the side, after 17 consecutive games he looked tired as tackles he would usually win turned into careless fouls. 5 Getty 17/21 Mesut Ozil: 4 Failing to lay a simple pass into Giroud’s feet summed up his match as even the most basic skills seemed to let him down. Elsewhere his desire to provide assists is approaching a burden for Arsenal, as he spurns presentable shooting opportunities when they fall to him. 4 GETTY 18/21 Alexis Sanchez: 5 He showed his usual industry but for once the end product was lacking from the Chilean. 5 GETTY 19/21 Olivier Giroud: 4 Ploughed a lonely furrow, his target-man skills do not suit Arsenal’s game as well when they look to play on the counter. Should have scored when one-on-one with de Gea. 4 GETTY 20/21 Jack Wilshere: 7 Picking the ball up from deep and running at United’s defence, he was exactly what Arsenal needed late on. Perhaps if Wenger had given him more than 20 minutes the result might have been different. 7 Getty 21/21 Theo Walcott: 6 It seemed to be another disappointing appearance off the bench for Walcott when he was caught offside and gave the ball away with his first touches. But Walcott creates his own luck and his cross-shot gave the Gunners a hardly-deserved equaliser. 6 GETTY 1/21 David de Gea: 7 Saw plenty of the ball as his colleagues passed back to him but much less from Arsenal attacks, though a spectacular punch reminded United fans of what they may well be missing next season. 7 Jan Kruger/Getty Images 2/21 Antonio Valencia: 8 When you are tasked with covering Alexis Sanchez he will get the better of you. But Valencia showed determination and intelligence whilst covering the Chilean. He will have few tougher tasks as a right-back, but he rose to the challenge expertly. 8 3/21 Chris Smalling: 7 A captain’s performance from the first time skipper, he brought composure to the back line and showed that he has greater skills on the ball than many of his critics credited him with. 7 4/21 Phil Jones: 5 Everything his colleague was not, Jones looked cumbersome in possession and struggled to deal with the physicality of Giroud. One of a few United players who showed no lack of willingness but hardly a surfeit of talent. 5 GETTY 5/21 Marcos Rojo: 7 A fine performance at left-back from the Argentinian, his combination play allowed United to overload on that flank and create more than one great chance. His defensive talents were not particularly required. 7 getty images 6/21 Daley Blind: 6 Too slow to deal with Arsenal’s pacy counters early on, but his distribution from the base of United’s midfield helped them assert domination in possession. 6 getty images 7/21 Ander Herrera: 8 A smart finish from the box-to-box midfielder was the best moment from another excellent performance as Herrera stood out alone against such a richly talented midfield. 8 GETTY 8/21 Marouane Fellaini: 7 He may not be dominating the headlines as he was during United’s charge up the table but he remains a vital, if blunt, weapon in van Gaal’s side. His presence alone seemed to be occupying half of Arsenal’s defence, giving his colleague’s space to operate. 7 getty images 9/21 Ashley Young: 8 His combination play with Fellaini and Rojo was potentially devastating early on and he continually gave Mata a dangerous out ball. Couple that with consistent coverage of the attack-minded Bellerin and it was another excellent game for the winger. 8 10/21 Radamel Falcao: 6 Industrious early on, but effort not matched by quality. His colleagues put him in great positions but he did nothing with the chances. United fans seemed pleased with his effort but it was hardly a performance to strike fear in the Gunners. 6 GETTY 11/21 Robin van Persie: 5 His stuttering form was summed up by his inability to stay onside when Herrera could have slipped him in behind the defence. Is he gone as a major force? It certainly seems possible. 5 Getty 12/21 Victor Valdes: 6 Would be disappointed to have conceded on his debut but could do little to halt the tide as Arsenal grew dangerous late on. 6 GETTY 13/21 David Ospina: 6 Should have done better than a mild flap at Herrera’s shot but otherwise proved himself to be a consistent presence whose positioning made his saves look easier than they were. 6 14/21 Hector Bellerin: 4 Found himself overrun by United’s attacks down the left in what was a trying game for the right back. His defensive challenges limited his urge to get forward, leaving Arsenal with next to no attacking presence on the right. 4 GETTY 15/21 Laurent Koscielny: 7 A vital block midway through the first half was part of an excellent performance from the Frenchman, who so often found himself covering for his colleague’s failing. 7 Getty 16/21 Francis Coquelin: 5 Dawdled on the ball too often and struggled in his duel with Fellaini. This was perhaps his worst performance since Wenger thrust him into the side, after 17 consecutive games he looked tired as tackles he would usually win turned into careless fouls. 5 Getty 17/21 Mesut Ozil: 4 Failing to lay a simple pass into Giroud’s feet summed up his match as even the most basic skills seemed to let him down. Elsewhere his desire to provide assists is approaching a burden for Arsenal, as he spurns presentable shooting opportunities when they fall to him. 4 GETTY 18/21 Alexis Sanchez: 5 He showed his usual industry but for once the end product was lacking from the Chilean. 5 GETTY 19/21 Olivier Giroud: 4 Ploughed a lonely furrow, his target-man skills do not suit Arsenal’s game as well when they look to play on the counter. Should have scored when one-on-one with de Gea. 4 GETTY 20/21 Jack Wilshere: 7 Picking the ball up from deep and running at United’s defence, he was exactly what Arsenal needed late on. Perhaps if Wenger had given him more than 20 minutes the result might have been different. 7 Getty 21/21 Theo Walcott: 6 It seemed to be another disappointing appearance off the bench for Walcott when he was caught offside and gave the ball away with his first touches. But Walcott creates his own luck and his cross-shot gave the Gunners a hardly-deserved equaliser. 6 GETTY

Walcott helped cancel out Ander Herrera’s opener with an 82nd minute strike which deflected off Tyler Blackett and past Victor Valdes.

And he said: “Firstly, its my goal if you are going to ask! You’ve got claim any one you can! I didn’t see anyone in the box so I just shot and luckily for me it hit Blackett and go in.

“I’ll take that but it is not about the goal, it is all about the result. The first half was a bit disappointing but in the second half, we played the football we have been doing recently coming to Manchester. It definitely showed and we were a bit fitter in the last 20 minutes.