Gary Neville has questioned Arsenal’s mentality and whether they have the belief to win big away games after they were beaten 1-0 by Liverpool at Anfield.
Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning second-half free-kick was the difference between the sides at Anfield.
Arsenal lost for the first time this season and conceded their first goal, but it was their attacking play and mentality that came under criticism after full-time.
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Liverpool’s match against Arsenal in the Premier League
Speaking on Sky Sports co-commentary, Neville said: “Liverpool have got what Arteta and Arsenal haven’t right now – that edge, that something, that mentality to go and win big matches at big away grounds.
“Liverpool believe they should be winning these matches and I’m not sure Arsenal do. They’re happy not to lose and it’s costing them.
“Even before the strike, Szoboszlai was brilliant and it’s a brilliant day for Arne Slot. He said his team couldn’t defend but they’ve kept a clean sheet.”
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Dominik Szoboszlai put Liverpool ahead with a stunning free-kick
Carra: Nothing has changed with Arsenal from last season
Fellow Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher does not believe there has been a change in Arsenal from last season, despite a summer spending spree that has seen the arrival of Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres.
He said: “There was a lot of feeling last season about what Arsenal needed and that they needed someone up front to finish all of their chances. I’ve never believed Arsenal’s problem was finishing.
“Arsenal’s problem is creating. That was the problem for them last season: they don’t create enough. You can look at the numbers – it’s all there in black and white.
“From last season, Arsenal needed to shift slightly, become a bit more proactive with the ball.
“You bring in Zubimendi, and you bring in Eze and Gyokeres up front. It’s only three games, but in the two away games we’ve seen Arsenal in this season, nothing has changed.
“They are heavily reliant on set pieces, they don’t create anything in open play and are the best team in Europe for me, defensively.”
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Player-of-the-match Dominik Szoboszlai talks through his incredible free-kick which proved to be the winner for Liverpool against title rivals Arsenal
Keane: Arsenal are still robotic
Roy Keane labelled Arsenal’s attacking play as ‘robotic’ as they failed to find the net against a well-drilled Liverpool defence.
The Sky Sports pundit said: “I feel like Arsenal, a bit like at Old Trafford, if you look at their attacking play, that day and today, just wasn’t good enough. They were not sharp enough, they need to do better.
“It’s great when they have the defensive record that they have and they’re good at set pieces, but if you’re dependent on that all the time then you come to Liverpool where they’re defending well, it’s hard to score.
“You’re looking at Arsenal going – do something off the cuff, do something quickly.
Arsenal endured a frustrating afternoon at Anfield
“There was a bit of rush in their play when they were chasing the goal, but in general, you’re thinking ‘do something quickly’. Going forward, they are a bit robotic.
“With the set pieces you give them a thumbs up, but they have to find something else.”
Arteta: I am so proud, but we need to find a way
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Mikel Arteta said his side need to find a way to win the big matches
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted his team need to find a way of winning in big games.
He told Sky Sports: “I’m very proud of my players, I think both teams elevated the game to a level that there was no margins between the two and very little happens, a lot of action in many areas, not that much in the boxes.
“It was going to be decided in two possible actions, an individual error or a magic moment and it was decided in a magic moment.
“You cannot dominate here for 95 minutes, it’s impossible and you’re going to go through those moments and it was a moment when our ‘keeper had the ball in his hands.
“Then we didn’t have any sequences of play afterwards but we navigated without conceding anything. But you need to find a way to win these big matches.
“You have to put the ball in the back of the net when you have it, we were much better than last year when we drew the game.
“Today when we have three, four or five situations inside the box, one vs one, when Eze is completely through just to finish the action. You have to put those balls in the back of the net if you want to win the game.”
