Arsenal Did Not Deserve Defeat Against Liverpool, Says Arteta
Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta has revealed that his team did not deserve to lose against Liverpool on Sunday at Anfield.
The Gunners suffered a 1-0 defeat to the Premier League champions thanks to a sublime free kick by Dominik Szoboszlai in the 83rd minute to hand Liverpool the maximum points.
Arteta was disappointed with the result but praised the team’s performance in the encounter after suffering their first away defeat since November.
He said, “We’re disappointed with the result. I think we deserved more. I think the team showed a lot of good things throughout the game, a lot of dominance in a place where that is very, very difficult to do. I think we elevated the game to standards that were really high.
“They did it for a period of 15-20 minutes in the second half, and then there were no margins, so the game was going to be decided either with an individual error that didn’t happen or with a magic moment.
“Unfortunately, they delivered through Szoboszlai, taking an incredible free kick that gave them the game.
“You cannot dominate here for 90 minutes; it is impossible,” Arteta said. “At the end of the game, I said we have to find a way to win these big matches.
“You have to put the ball in the back of the net when you have it. We were much better than last year, much better, but we have to put the ball in the back of the net if we want to win the game.”
Arteta admitted that he was worried about William Saliba’s injury; the Frenchman limped off with an ankle injury four minutes into the encounter.
He said, “To play your first game at Anfield when you’ve been thrown on after an injury to Saliba is very, very difficult, so it was phenomenal.
“I think you have to take that honesty and that personality as well to deliver that, and as we said, with the help of everything, I think he had a really good game.
“He [Saliba] twisted his ankle during the warm-up. He came in and believed he could carry on, but from his first two actions, you could see he couldn’t cope, so we took him out.
“We had to put [Cristhian] Mosquera on, and it was a big test for him at Anfield, but he had a great debut. I am worried. When he cannot play in a game of that stature, there is clearly something wrong.”
Meanwhile, Liverpool coach Arne Slot praised his team’s mentality for grinding out a precious victory in a tough game.
He said, “I’m most pleased with the team’s mentality. We’ve had to bring quite a lot of new players in.
“And then you have to start the season against Bournemouth and then Newcastle away, and then play Arsenal at home, which is definitely one of the three or four most difficult games of the season … and already doing what we are doing.
“We’re not perfect (but) everybody wants to work so hard to get a result over the line.
“I’ve said this so many times — I think it was Michael Jordan that said, ‘The harder we work, the more luck we get,’ and that is something that you can say about this team. We always give ourselves a chance because we work so hard.
“If we play this game 10 times more in the same fashion, then I think it’s eight times a draw.
“We win it one time, and Arsenal win it one time, because it was an uneventful game, which is sometimes positive as well, because both teams were really good at defending.
“I think normally Arsenal and we are able to create more chances during a game, but it tells you also something about the structure and the amount of discipline both teams have without the ball, and then you need a moment of magic, which we got from Dominik, and that resulted in us winning the game.”
The Dutch manager hailed Dominik Szoboszlai, who was deployed in a surprising right-back role before scoring a 30-yard free-kick.
Slot said, “He understands what a Liverpool player should look like. If you wear this shirt, you should give everything, no matter what position you play.
“Unbelievable game from him in a position he has probably played only two or three times in his life.”
The victory means Liverpool is the only Premier League side with three wins from three matches while scoring eight goals and conceding four.
The Gunners have won two out of their opening three games of the season to sit in third with six points behind Chelsea in second, who have seven points from the same number of games.
Liverpool will return to Premier League action after the international break against Burnley, and Arsenal will host Burnley at the Emirates Stadium on September 13. The international break is against Burnley, and Arsenal will host Burnley at the Emirates Stadium on September 13.
Arsenal Did Not Deserve Defeat Against Liverpool, Says Arteta is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
