Mikel Arteta praised his team’s character as Arsenal’s came away from Anfield with a hard-fought 1-1 draw that keeps his side top of the table.
The Gunners made a blistering start and deserved their early lead when Gabriel Magalhaes headed home a Martin Odegaard free-kick on 4 minutes. However, as always, Mo Salah proved to be a thorn in the side for the visitors; collecting a long ball by Trent Alexander-Arnold, he cut onto his left foot to fire home an equaliser just before the half-hour mark.
Gabriel Martinelli hit wide before the break and Alexander-Arnold crashed an effort off the bar in the second half as both sides went in search of a winner. In truth, Jurgen Klopp’s side probably had the better of the second period but Arsenal looked controlled as they saw out the final minutes.
After the game, Arteta told bein SPORTS: “I spoke to Jurgen and it was an unbelievable game of football. It’s one of the most intense, hectic games that I’ve won in 20 years in this league.
“Big compliments to both teams, to our team especially, because it was a big experience today when they raised the level so high that we could maintain it. And in the end, the boys were disappointed that we didn’t score one and win the game.”
On his side’s fast start and attacking intent, he added: “We are trying to win games and we really go for it and we have an incredible spirit and today we showed a lot of courage and determination to play the way we’ve done in this round.
“We want to do this as a team and if we want to adapt to teams, I think we’re going to lose our biggest strength and it’s our willingness to attack and to defend forward and to cause problems to the opponent. And I’m delighted the way the team played.”
The point ensures the Gunners remain top of the table for Christmas and allows the manager to relax for a couple of days.
“So far we are top of the league and we’ve done really well in the Champions League as well,” he said.
“I’m going to have a lovely dinner tomorrow with my family and then we go back [to work] because West Ham is going to be tough.”
Onwards and upwards!
Top of the league. I’d have taken it one game in. I’d bite your hand off half way through
Can I be honest, and I dont want this to come off as ungrateful, because listen, a point at Anfield is better than nothing… But I think all three points were there for us this evening. That Liverpool team was so much weaker than ours. They spent the entire game clipping balls in to Salah to try and get at Zinchenko, because they have no midfield, literally none. They just looked for long balls in behind, and then to find moments in the transition. So frustrating to take the lead in the manner that we did, we got after them,… Read more »
I agree, and I think the great thing is it seems most of the boys do too. It looked like they were going for the win until the last second. The winner didn’t come today but let’s also be grateful for all those winning goals that did go our way so far this season, we could easily be sitting here 6-8 points lower on the table if not for Rice, Martinelli, Havertz and Rice again scoring 90th minute winners. Sometimes it goes your way, then maybe it averages out on nights like tonight where we were also in my opinion… Read more »
Yeah, they do seem disappointed no doubt. I caught Saka’s post match and he remarked at the collective annoyance, which is great.
Still feel it today though — if we’d had just played football against them, it was there. For whatever reason, we always seem to get sucked into the way they want us to play whenever we go there. In seasons gone by I can understand it, because the gap in quality was so vast, but now its not. And we should be going there and playing with a bit more belief.
Remember that time when Odegaard kicked Zinchenko and they all tumbled down like Keystone Kops? At the Kopp? Yeah me neither, that one is filed away deep down where I tuck away things where my feelings cannot go.
Like the chuckle brothers!
Had to hide behind my sofa.
Mission accomplished. Point is like plan B in this case.
A great point, and one I’d have taken if offered before kick-off. They’ve lost one out the last 50+ at Anfield. Like Saka said, with the point in hand, it’s great to feel aggrieved about not having won there!!
It’s a very tough place to go. I am happy with the point. A great result and defended well – apart from Zinchenko, but I can’t blame him as he clearly is not a left back 🙂
Our next four games, West Ham (H), Fulham (A), Palace (H) and Forest (A) give us the opportunity to rake in 12 points before we clash with Liverpool again. Hopefully by then, Tomiyasu would have been back.
He didn’t win it though did he 🙂 just saw the presser video on Hayters, I think he’s saying “that I’ve witnessed”
“After the game, Arteta told bein SPORTS: “I spoke to Jurgen and it was an unbelievable game of football. It’s one of the most intense, hectic games that I’ve won in 20 years in this league.”
Did he really say “that I’ve won” and not “that I’ve seen”?