Mikel Arteta has said the Anfield atmosphere played a role in Arsenal throwing away a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2, with Liverpool supporters in fine voice against the Gunners this weekend.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, the former Manchester City coach noted how good Liverpool fans were as the Reds fought from behind to salvage a draw against Arsenal, with Aaron Ramsdale having to make two world-class saves at the death to keep the score at 2-2.
The result could go a long way in the Premier League title race, with Arsenal now just six points ahead of City with Pep Guardiola’s side having a game in hand over the Gunners, with the two set to meet at the Etihad Stadium at the end of this month.
Indeed, a win would have been perfect for Arsenal. Yet according to Arteta, the Anfield crowd wouldn’t have allowed it, with the 41-year-old saying: “It was a super intense match. We started the game exceptionally well and dominated, scored a goal and continued to play the way we wanted to and scored again, and that was the moment to kill the game.”
The Arsenal manager later added: “Just before half-time we conceded a goal and Liverpool generated some belief. This is a special atmosphere and stadium and the second half was a very different story.”
Arteta will pin Liverpool draw as turning point if Arsenal bottle the title
Premier League titles can be won or lost in a single moment, and for Arteta, the Arsenal man can be forgiven for thinking that his side’s collapse against Liverpool could be a moment later down the line that will be pinned on as the day the Gunners lost out on the Premier League title.
Whilst there are still many games to go, it seems unlikely that Arsenal will match City’s record in the coming weeks as well as beat the Manchester giants at the Etihad. And for Arteta, dropping points at Anfield could go down as the moment everything went wrong for the north London side.