Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admitted that his team were made to pay for their wastefulness in front of goal after Liverpool snatched a narrow 1-0 victory at Anfield in the Premier League’s opening blockbuster clash of the season.
The game, which was billed as an early test between two of the strongest title contenders, was ultimately settled by a single strike. Despite Arsenal producing a strong display for much of the contest, Arteta could not hide his frustration that his side failed to convert their chances when it mattered most.
“I’m very disappointed with the result, but at the same time very proud of my players,” Arteta said afterwards. “Both teams had to dig extremely deep, and there was hardly anything to separate us. Matches like this are often decided either by a costly mistake or by one moment of brilliance, and unfortunately that was the case today.”
The Spaniard was keen to highlight the progress Arsenal have made compared to previous visits to Merseyside, pointing out that they were far more competitive this time around.
However, he also stressed the brutal reality of football at the highest level – that dominating possession or spells of a game counts for little if chances are not taken. “It’s impossible to control a match here for the full 90 minutes,” he continued. “In these big games, you simply have to find a way to turn opportunities into goals. We were much improved from last season, but at this level you must put the ball in the back of the net if you want to win.”
Arsenal’s preparations were badly disrupted by injuries to key players. Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka were both ruled out before kick-off, while William Saliba, initially named in the starting eleven, was forced to withdraw after feeling discomfort during the warm-up.
Captain Martin Ødegaard, still recovering from a knock, was only fit enough to make a late substitute appearance. Despite these setbacks, Arteta refused to use absences as an excuse. “We lost Martin, then Kai, and after that Bukayo. In the warm-up, we lost Saliba too. But the players who came in gave everything they had,” he explained.
There was at least one encouraging moment for Arsenal supporters as new summer signing Eberechi Eze made his debut from the bench in the second half.
Arteta revealed that the midfielder had only trained with the squad for a few days but insisted that his quality will become clear in time. “We fully believe in him and in the rest of the players who played today,” he said. “I haven’t seen Liverpool at Anfield suffer like they did against us for a long time, and that is a huge positive.”
Still, Arteta’s message remained clear: Arsenal must learn to turn strong performances into goals and results if they are to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title this season.
