Arsenal take on Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday and Mikel Arteta has made it clear that his side will need to buckle up and give it their all if they wish to pick up a win.
Right before the international break, the Gunners made a sensational comeback vs West Ham United to draw the match 3-3, despite trailing 3-0 within the 32nd minute. But, not every team’s going to hand them such opportunities to make a comeback which is why Arteta wants his players to rectify the silly unwanted errors which they made vs the Hammers.
Arteta said on Thursday: “One of them[areas of improvements] is related to the attention and focus that you need during the whole game. For example, the way we conceded the second goal against West Ham, where we turned our backs on a free-kick close to our box, is something that we cannot do.
“It just gives a goal to the opponent. And there’s also the other face, that we really like, the way the team played and reacted, the character we showed and the quality that we provided on the day to come back against a really good opponent from three goals behind.
“Against these types of teams, with the quality that they have, they are going to punish you for every error that you do.
“Even when you don’t make errors and you do everything perfectly, they are still able to break your lines, to create an individual action and to score a goal. Obviously, it is a team where nothing has to be given to them.”
In all fairness, Arsenal were really lucky to come of the West Ham match with a point. But if Liverpool manage to take such a massive lead then there’s no way that Klopp’s men are throwing it away.
Yes, Liverpool have seen a slump in form in the past few months but they still remain one of the best teams in Europe. And with the level of inconsistency that Arsenal have shown throughout this season, we really do not expect them to be the overall dominant force on Saturday.
The only way the Gunners can manage to salvage anything from this game is if Liverpool start making those uncanny errors that they have been committing in recent matches.
Arsenal are not likely to get back into the top-four this season so even as Arteta will urge his players to pick up a win against Liverpool but the manager will undoubtedly have one eye on their Europa League clash vs Slavia Prague next week.
