Mikel Arteta commended his squad for their resilience, determination, and quality on the pitch, as they managed to secure a hard-fought draw against a strong Liverpool side despite facing significant obstacles.
He highlighted his players’ high energy levels and tactical adaptability, pointing out that they stepped up even as injuries and unexpected lineup changes disrupted their plans.
With William Saliba unavailable due to suspension and Riccardo Calafiori sidelined by injury, the manager had to reshuffle his defense even further. The situation became more challenging when Gabriel exited the game with an injury, followed by Jurrien Timber, who also needed to be substituted. These unforeseen changes left the backline significantly altered from the initial lineup.
Despite an improvised defensive line, Arsenal managed to restrict Liverpool to just a single chance in the second half. However, Mohamed Salah capitalized on that opportunity, scoring to earn the visitors a draw.
Arteta disappointed with Liverpool result but pleased with performance
After the game, Arteta said: “I think the performance overall with all the circumstances was very positive, a lot of great things to take, but it’s disappointing not to win it because I thought we were the better team”.
“We had the most domination, the biggest chances and without conceding anything really, we gave two goals away, apart from two big decisions as well”.
“With everything that we’ve been through in the last few weeks, with all the injuries and situations that we had, the team was exceptional. The energy that we created, the way we dominated the top team in the league at the moment and where we’re coming from, it says a lot about how much we want it and as well, the quality that we have.”
The manager was thrilled to see Mikel Merino net his first goal for the club, especially as it came in only his second league start since his summer arrival.
“I think he was very positive. You can tell that he’s getting into the rhythm, understanding what he has and in a big game like that, he stood up. We had some big performances today.”
