Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta couldn’t help but cast an envious glance towards title rivals Liverpool after watching his side drop two crucial points in a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa on Saturday. The result saw the Gunners fall six points behind the league-leading Reds, who have a game in hand, just hours after Jurgen Klopp’s men staged a dramatic comeback to beat Brentford 2-0 thanks to two stoppage-time goals from substitute Darwin Núñez.
Arsenal Let Two-Goal Lead Slip
Arsenal looked to be cruising to a vital win at the Emirates Stadium after first-half goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz put them 2-0 up. However, Villa stormed back with two goals in eight minutes through Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins to snatch a point and deal a major blow to the Gunners’ title aspirations.
Arteta: “We Were Physically Drained”
Speaking after the match, Arteta lamented his side’s lack of options off the bench compared to Liverpool, who were able to call upon the likes of £85 million striker Núñez, Harvey Elliott, and Curtis Jones to turn their game around. In contrast, Arteta only made one change, bringing on Raheem Sterling for the final eight minutes.
“There are moments [in the title race], obviously,” Arteta said. “[Liverpool] managed to do that, they made the subs and the subs made the impact and managed to change the game. In our side, it was the opposite even though after conceding the two goals very close to each other, the danger was because I knew how the team was, that we could go downhill because we were physically drained.”
– Mikel Arteta
Arsenal’s Lack of Depth Exposed
The contrast between Liverpool’s bench and Arsenal’s was stark. While Klopp could turn to Núñez, a £64 million signing from Benfica last summer, Arteta’s options were limited by injuries to key players like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus. The Gunners are expected to be active in the transfer market before the window closes, but Arteta refused to use that as an excuse.
“When you look at the performances — I don’t know how many teams are playing at this level in the league,” he said. “But when you look at the bench, probably you say we are very short.”
Title Race Blown Wide Open
The result leaves Arsenal six points behind Liverpool having played a game more, a gap that could prove decisive in the title race. The Gunners have now dropped seven points in their last three games, while Liverpool have won six on the bounce to seize control at the top.
With just 11 games remaining, Arteta knows his side can ill afford any more slip-ups if they are to win their first league title since 2004. But with injuries biting and a lack of depth exposed, the Spaniard faces an uphill battle to keep pace with a Liverpool side that looks increasingly well-equipped to go the distance.
- Arsenal drop points again to fall six points behind league leaders Liverpool
- Arteta laments lack of options off the bench compared to title rivals
- Liverpool’s £85m striker Núñez comes on to score twice in stoppage time vs Brentford
- Gunners expected to be active in transfer market but Arteta refuses to use lack of depth as an excuse
The pressure is now on Arsenal to respond when they travel to Leicester City next weekend. With Liverpool not in action until Monday night against Crystal Palace, Arteta’s men have the chance to cut the gap back to three points and keep their fading title hopes alive. But on the evidence of Saturday’s capitulation, it will take a monumental effort to overhaul a Liverpool side that looks to have all the answers right now.
