"We did not try to find excuses" - Mikel Arteta praises Arsenal players 'attitude and desire' in 0-0 draw against Liverpool despite playing with 10 men
Manager Mikel Arteta has heaped praise on Arsenal for their performance in their goalless draw with Liverpool in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final on Thursday. The Spanish tactician was delighted with the 'attitude and desire' his players showed against Jurgen Klopp's side.
Arsenal headed into their clash against Liverpool on Thursday after a shock 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forrest in their FA Cup opener on Sunday. The Gunners had a disappointing start against Jurgen Klopp's side, as Granit Xhaka saw red in the 24th minute.
Liverpool dominated possession against Arsenal, but failed to create any clear-cut goalscoring opportunities. Arteta was delighted with the 'fight and commitment' his team displayed against Liverpool despite playing with ten men.
"When the red card happens, the tide can be turned away, because they only need ten really good minutes to score two or three goals and then the tie is over. But we showed a real fight today and a commitment to say, 'I defend seriously, I don't give up, I believe that we can do it,'" Arteta told talkSPORT.
"We did not try to find excuses. I tell them every time that we can find excuses in any game, maybe in this context even more. And we didn't. There were players who played in completely different positions. But when you have that attitude and desire, in the end, good things happen. Emotionally, it's really important how you play these games, and today I think we did that really well."
"When you play with that spirit and fight and brotherhood around the team, at the end, you get rewarded and I think that's what happened today."
💬 "When you play with that spirit and fight and brotherhood around the team, at the end, you get rewarded and I think that's what happened today."
A proud @m8arteta reflects on tonight's performance 👇
Arsenal will now turn their attention to Tottenham Hotspur, whom they meet on Sunday in the Premier League. The Gunners will be desperate to beat their cross-town rivals and continue their good form in the Premier League. Arteta's side has won four of their last five league games.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are sitting in third place in the league table. The Reds have won just two of their last five league games. Jurgen Klopp's side face a tricky test against Brentford on Sunday.
Arsenal's impressive defensive display against Liverpool augurs well for the rest of their campaign
Arsenal managed a goalless draw with Liverpool despite playing with ten men for more than an hour. However, the Gunners produced a memorable defensive display, limiting the free-scoring Reds to just one shot on target all night.
Mikel Arteta is building something special at Arsenal with a very young squad. The performance against Man City and now at Anfield. The soft under belly Arsenal isn’t a thing anymore.
Arsenal have often been criticised for their lack of defensive solidity and organisation in recent years. However, they have fared rather well defensively this season.
Mikel Arteta's side has conceded 25 goals in 20 league games this season. The Gunners impressively shut out a Liverpool side that has scored 39 times in 21 Premier League games this campaign.
Arsenal's defensive display against Liverpool should augur well for their hopes of ending the season on a high. Currently in fifth place in the league table, albeit with a game in hand, they look good to return to the Champions League after a long absence.