Arsenal manager praises team’s courage and quality as Liverpool equalize twice to share the points
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed pride in his team’s performance after a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Liverpool at the Emirates, a result that kept the Gunners just off the top of the Premier League standings. Arsenal led twice, thanks to goals from Bukayo Saka and Mikel Merino, but Liverpool fought back each time, with late goals from Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah securing a point for the visitors.
The draw means Manchester City sits atop the league after nine games, one point ahead of Liverpool, with a four-point gap separating Arsenal and Aston Villa from the leaders.
“I’m very proud of the team for their courage and quality, especially in the first half,” Arteta said, noting his side’s effort despite losing defenders Gabriel and Jurrien Timber to injury in the second half. “We had to make some changes, and a few key moments affected the result. Even then, I feel we deserved the win and were the better team.”
Saka, back in action after an injury layoff, struck early, cutting inside Liverpool’s Andy Robertson and sending a powerful shot past Caoimhin Kelleher in the ninth minute. Liverpool’s captain Virgil van Dijk responded quickly, nodding in a flicked-on corner to level the score. Just before halftime, Arsenal regained the lead with a headed goal from Merino, marking his first Premier League goal for the club.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot commended his team’s resilience after a taxing week of games, saying, “Arsenal maybe deserved to be a goal up, but we were strong in the second half. To come back and earn a point feels like a good result.”
The tie showcased the fierce competition at the top of the Premier League, with Arteta praising his team’s ability to compete with Liverpool: “The way we played today against one of the top teams was unbelievable.”
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