Frustrated Arteta addresses missed opportunities in tight loss to Liverpool

In a tightly contested match at Anfield, Mikel Arteta's Arsenal suffered a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool, marking their first loss in the Premier League this season.

The Gunners, who were without Bukayo Saka due to an injury sustained during the warm-up, put up a valiant effort against the Reds. Arteta believed his side did not deserve to lose, but admitted they were lacking an extra level in the final third.

Arsenal had more shots (11) and generated more expected goals (0.55) than Liverpool (9, 0.45), but only managed one attempt on target. Noni Madueke was the only Arsenal player to register an on-target shot, in the 21st minute.

The game was a testament to both teams' resilience, with each side digging deep to prevent the other from scoring. Despite the loss, Arteta expressed his disappointment with the result but was proud of his players.

William Saliba was forced to withdraw from the match only five minutes in, leaving Arsenal to regroup. Martin Odegaard came off the bench for Arsenal in the second half, after initially being forced to withdraw due to injury.

Eberechi Eze made his Arsenal debut by coming off the bench with 20 minutes to play. The midfielder finished the game with a 100% passing accuracy, including four passes in the final third, more than Gabriel Martinelli managed in 70 minutes.

The winning goal came in the 83rd minute, a moment of individual magic from Szoboszlai. This was Arsenal's first away defeat in the top flight since November 2024, ending a 15-game unbeaten streak.

Arteta defended his choice not to use Eze from the start, citing his recent arrival at the club. The Arsenal players who started against Liverpool before Eze was substituted in were: D. Raya, J. Timber, W. Saliba, Gabriel (captain), R. Calafiori, M. Merino, M. Zubimendi, D. Rice, N. Madueke, V. Gyokeres, and G. Martinelli.

In a potential boost for Arsenal, reports suggest the club is linked with a move for Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie, who is reportedly flying to London ahead of a proposed loan move.

The defeat at Anfield ended Arsenal's impressive run of form, but Arteta will be looking to bounce back when they face Bournemouth in their next Premier League match.