Mikel Arteta's 'disappointed' admission speaks volumes but Arne Slot left confused

Mohamed Salah’s equaliser snatched a Premier League constituent for Liverpool arsenic they drew 2-2 with Arsenal astatine the Emirates, with Mikel Arteta and Arne Slot forced to settee for a point

Mikel Arteta declared Arsenal “alive” successful the Premier League rubric contention but was near with mixed emotions aft they dropped much points pursuing a pulsating 2-2 draw astatine location to Liverpool.

The Gunners were without skipper Martin Odegaard, William Saliba and Riccardo Calafiori, but Bukayo Saka returned to commencement and scored on with Mikel Merino successful the archetypal fractional to enactment them 2-1 up aft Virgil van Dijk’s 18th-minute leveller.

However, Arteta was dealt further fittingness blows arsenic Gabriel Magalhaes limped disconnected earlier Jurrien Timber had to beryllium replaced and a makeshift back-four wilted arsenic Mohamed Salah ’s first-time decorativeness aft 81 minutes snatched a constituent for Arne Slot ’s men.

“I’m precise disappointed that we haven’t won the crippled today,” Arteta said. “Very arrogant of the team, particularly with the concern we are going done astatine the infinitesimal – astir apt you cannot imagine.

“I deliberation successful the archetypal fractional it was full domination, we were truly good, truly dominant, truly businesslike and the effect astir apt should person been bigger. Without conceding thing basically, we gave 2 goals away. That’s the truly frustrating portion and that we couldn’t spot the crippled out.”

The biggest victor was arguably Manchester City, who extremity the play backmost astatine the summit, a constituent wide of Liverpool and 5 up of Arsenal. Arteta, who was unsure of the severity of Gabriel and Timber’s injuries, acknowledged: “You don’t privation to beryllium successful that position. You privation to beryllium 5 points up but this is wherever we are.

“The squad is alive, the squad wants it. I consciousness it each azygous day. The players that cannot play, they are upset that they are not playing. The ones getting injured, the ones that are there, they are successful a bully moment.

“Things volition crook up and we are going to beryllium successful a amended place, but we are surely there. I spot the squad and I person nary doubts. I deliberation I told you 3 days earlier that we are going to beryllium flying connected Sunday and we started flying and were the amended squad by far.

“We needed to get the points contiguous to marque a reflection of wherever we are and wherever we privation to be. We couldn’t bash it but for definite we are there.” Slot was blessed contempt Liverpool’s eight-match winning streak being halted successful northbound London.

“Going 2 times down against a precise beardown and bully Arsenal team, past to get a constituent is pleasing to see,” helium said. “I cognize you guys similar to speech astir rubric contenders and wherever we are precisely successful the league. That is besides portion of your job.

“The lone happening I look astatine is tin you get a effect successful a hard distant crippled arsenic this one? The mode we did it pleased maine a lot. We’re lone 9 oregon 10 games into the season, but to spot we tin vie with specified a beardown Arsenal team, successful their stadium, that is precise pleasing to see.

“But wherever it precisely volition pb towards the extremity of the season? I cannot archer you yet.” Slot was not arsenic impressed with Anthony Taylor’s determination to amusement him a second-half yellowish card, but saw the comic broadside astatine full-time.

He added: “Last clip (against Chelsea ) I said I wholly merit the yellowish paper and this clip I don’t deliberation I did. After truthful galore times they were connected the floor, which tin hap successful shot and I don’t blasted them for that, but they ever fell down aft they had shot possession and it took the vigor retired of the crippled successful my opinion.

“I said to Ibou (Ibrahima Konate), ‘this is simply a f****** joke’ and the 4th authoritative thought I said to him, ‘you are a f****** joke’, truthful that is decidedly not what I said. But I got a yellowish and present I americium connected two, truthful I person to beryllium careful.”

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