In a gripping encounter, Arsenal managed to secure a 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield. After the match, Mikel Arteta shared his thoughts on the team’s performance, the atmosphere at Anfield, and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale’s crucial saves during the match.

Discussing the game’s intensity, Arteta said, “We started the game exceptionally well, dominated it, and took the game where we wanted.”

He went on to express disappointment in the team’s inability to maintain their lead, which allowed Liverpool to gain momentum and eventually equalise.

Despite the draw, Arteta believes that the result was fair given both teams’ performance throughout the match, stating, “So looking at the two halves, it’s probably a fair result.”

Impact of Anfield atmosphere

Anfield’s intense atmosphere played a significant role in the game. Arteta acknowledged Liverpool’s ability to shift momentum and create the game they wanted, making it difficult for other teams to dominate them for a full 90 minutes.

He said, “At any moment, they can shift that momentum and create a game that they want. When they raise the level to that, there are few teams that can keep up.”

The manager also mentioned an incident between Granit Xhaka and Trent Alexander-Arnold, which may have contributed to riling up the crowd.

He commented, “I don’t know if that’s the case. We had a big chance after that. If we’d scored to make it 3-0, maybe the crowd doesn’t get too excited but after that, they scored a goal and that changes the momentum and the hope.”

Regarding Aaron Ramsdale’s vital saves, Arteta said, “You need your goalkeeper if you want to win and be in title races. You have to have those magic moments from the keeper.”

He also emphasised the importance of moving forward and preparing for the next game against West Ham, stating, “Every single day is a test and the test is now: how good are we going to be on Monday and how well are we going to prepare to beat West Ham and to play the way we want to beat West Ham.”