Mikel Arteta apologised for Arsenal’s insipid performance during Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool, admitting his players should have lost by a bigger margin.
Manchester City’s win at Leicester earlier in the day meant Liverpool’s hopes of retaining their title were mathematically over after a season of mixed performances, poor results and terrible injury problems.
But they were back to their scintillating best at the Emirates Stadium as they dominated Arsenal and secured a 3-0 win courtesy of a brace from substitute Diogo Jota either side of a Mohamed Salah strike.
This was Mikel Arteta’s 50th Premier League fixture in charge of Arsenal and before the game he called for the Gunners to take the game to Liverpool, having won the corresponding fixture last year with a mixture of guile, guts and luck.
But with injured quartet of David Luiz, Granit Xhaka, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe missing, Arteta admitted his side got what they deserved – and Gary Neville believes the Spaniard now has a clear picture of what he needs to do in the summer transfer window.
Arsenal have only picked up one victory from their last 12 Premier League matches against Liverpool, while Arteta will now reflect on his half century of Premier League games as Gunners boss in the knowledge that his predecessor Unai Emery (13) lost four fewer games after his first 50 games in the competition.
Arsenal now host Slavia Prague in their Europa League quarter-final first leg at 8pm on Thursday, before going to Sheffield United at 7pm on Sunday in the Premier League.
Liverpool go to Real Madrid at 8pm on Tuesday in the Champions League quarter-final first leg, and then host Aston Villa at 3pm on Saturday,
