Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has vowed his team will remain competitive in the Premier League title race, despite recent injury setbacks that contributed to their 2-2 draw against Liverpool on Sunday. Arteta noted that Arsenal’s “lack of courage” impacted their performance, especially during a challenging second half that saw Liverpool level the match with nine minutes remaining.
The game at Emirates Stadium was a thrilling encounter where Arsenal initially took control with Bukayo Saka’s early goal. Liverpool responded with a header from Virgil van Dijk, and Arsenal regained the lead just before half-time with a header from Mikel Merino. However, Arsenal’s defense was weakened by injuries in the second half, with Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber both exiting the match. This added to an already under-strength backline that was missing William Saliba due to suspension and Riccardo Calafiori to injury.
As the match progressed, Arsenal adjusted by shifting midfielder Thomas Partey to right-back, moving Ben White to central defense, and bringing Jakub Kiwior and young Myles Lewis-Skelly off the bench to bolster the defense. Liverpool exploited Arsenal’s vulnerable defense when Trent Alexander-Arnold found Lewis-Skelly out of position, allowing Darwin Nunez to set up Mohamed Salah’s equalizer.
The result left Arsenal in third place, five points behind leaders Manchester City. Arteta voiced his frustration with Arsenal’s inability to convert their first-half dominance into a greater lead. “The first half was total domination, the scoreline should have been bigger, but without giving anything away we conceded two goals. That is the disappointing thing,” Arteta remarked post-match.
The injury crisis continued to be a concern for Arsenal, with Arteta emphasizing the impact on the team’s performance. He was, however, unable to provide updates on Gabriel and Timber’s status. Despite these challenges, he remained optimistic about the team’s ability to stay competitive: “You don’t want to be in that position, you want to be five points ahead. This is football, the circumstances are going to make us better. The team want it.”
For Liverpool, the result marked a significant milestone for new manager Arne Slot, who has led the team to impressive performances since his arrival from Feyenoord, including a recent Champions League victory against Leipzig. Slot acknowledged the difficulty of the game but praised his team’s response, stating, “Going behind two times against a very good team, to get a point is pleasing to see. They dominated us in the first half. We came back so strong in the second half.”
With second-place Liverpool just one point behind City, Slot hopes the team’s resilience against Arsenal will prove valuable in the title race. Slot noted the crucial role of Salah, who is now tied with Robbie Fowler as Liverpool’s eighth-highest scorer in Premier League history, with 163 goals: “Big clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal need to have these players that can make a difference for you. Mo was the one who did that today.”
This result highlighted the importance of player depth and adaptability in both teams’ campaigns, as the Premier League title race remains close.
