Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta Publicly Reveals How His Squad Angered Him

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta didn’t hold back in his post-match assessment following a tense 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield on May 11, 2025. While his side mounted a second-half comeback to earn a valuable point, Arteta’s frustration was clear as he laid into his players for a dreadful start that nearly cost them the game.

From the first whistle, Liverpool pressed with intensity and capitalised on Arsenal’s early lethargy. Cody Gakpo opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a well-taken header from Andy Robertson’s cross, punishing the Gunners after they failed to clear their lines. Just over a minute later, Dominik Szoboszlai carved through the midfield and squared for Luis Díaz, who tapped home to double the hosts’ lead. Arsenal looked shell-shocked, their structure crumbling under Liverpool’s aggressive pressing.

In his post-match comments, Arteta made his disappointment crystal clear.

“What we did in the first half, in the first 20 minutes, is nowhere near the level. So to do it after is too late,” he said.

“We reacted, great, but the standards in the first 20 minutes were unacceptable. A lot of parts were unacceptable, especially the defending standards that we had and the areas where we gave the ball away, which is totally prohibited against this team.”

Arteta appeared visibly angry when speaking to the media, his tone sharpened by the knowledge that his side had come into the match with momentum and a chance to further cement their top-four standing. Despite a spirited second-half response, he made it clear he expects more from a team aiming to compete for the Premier League and Champions League titles.

“Yeah, we had a reaction, I hate reaction, I like action — especially when we want to be there winning trophies,” he added. “You want to be in the moment that you win it or you don’t. And when you don’t have it, you have to play another one that you have been working for nine months — and that’s here today.”

Arsenal did show character after the break. Gabriel Martinelli pulled one back with a smart header in the 47th minute following a pinpoint cross from Leandro Trossard. Mikel Merino levelled the score midway through the second half, reacting quickest to a rebound after Martin Ødegaard’s shot was parried by Alisson. But Merino would later be sent off for a second yellow card, leaving Arsenal to hang on in the closing stages.

The result extended Arsenal’s unbeaten Premier League run against Liverpool to three seasons, but for Arteta, that was little consolation. His sharp words serve as a wake-up call to his squad: if they want to challenge for silverware, slow starts and defensive lapses cannot be part of their DNA.