Mikel Arteta strongly criticized his Arsenal side after their 2-2 draw at Liverpool, admitting his players still have a lot to learn. The Gunners fought back from a 2-0 half-time deficit thanks to goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino, but Merino’s red card shortly after equalizing reduced Arsenal to ten men, hindering their chances of a win.
Arteta expressed frustration with Arsenal’s poor first-half display, particularly their defensive mistakes. “I was unhappy with many aspects, especially our defensive lapses and the careless giveaways, which you simply can’t afford against a team like Liverpool,” he said. “We were way off the pace, and I was really angry.”
He acknowledged the team’s second-half comeback but wasn’t impressed. “Yes, we reacted, but I don’t like reactions—I prefer action from the start if we’re serious about winning trophies. The reaction doesn’t make it better; if anything, it makes it worse,” he added.
Arteta highlighted the team’s repeated struggles with discipline, pointing out this was the sixth time this season they had to play with ten men. He emphasized that to win titles, they need to maintain consistency for the full match and stop relying on comebacks.
While some saw the draw as a statement to Liverpool, Arteta disagreed. “This isn’t about sending messages to Liverpool; it’s about us. We can’t control what they do. They deserved their success—they’ve been consistent. We need to be better, more intelligent, and avoid putting ourselves in difficult positions.”
Reflecting on the season’s matches against Liverpool, he said Arsenal should have won at home and didn’t deserve to lose this one either. He noted their strong record against top teams but insisted that true success requires more than ability—it requires relentless winning and higher standards. “I hate talking about reactions. We need to stop using that word.”