Arsenal are handing Liverpool the title on a plate, it’s the players who are to blame
Mikel Arteta’s side are still miles behind Liverpool when it comes to lifting the Premier League title despite a late equaliser against Man City.
Arteta was slammed for dropping Eberechi Eze for the clash on Sunday, 21 September, with Mikel Merino given the nod ahead of him in the centre of midfield, a decision which the manager would regret.
Pep Guardiola‘s team took advantage of the Gunners’ slow start, as Erling Haaland fired past David Raya to open the scoring at the Emirates Stadium after just nine minutes.
With the Citizens holding onto a very slim lead, Guardiola adopted an unusual tactic of dropping deep, running down the clock, and getting more defenders on the pitch. This was eventually punished.
Arsenal stars celebrate Gabriel Martinelli’s equaliser vs Man City
Gabriel Martinelli lobbed Gianluigi Donnarumma in the third minute of added time, sending the Emirates Stadium berserk, and sealing a well-earned point in the second half.
Despite this monumental moment, supporters were still left frustrated by only claiming a point at home, a result which allowed Liverpool to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to five points.
Liverpool beat Everton in the Merseyside derby, and while it was not as comfortable as Arne Slot would have hoped, they showed plenty of determination to see out the victory at Anfield.
The same cannot be said for Arteta’s players, and that was highlighted during their celebrations against Man City after Martinelli’s effort earned them a last-gasp draw.
Man City and Liverpool would have gone for three points in the same situation
Rather than run back to the halfway line with the ball in hand, the goalscorer was swamped by his teammates while celebrating with the supporters.
Raya ran over to Eberechi Eze, who had already sunk to the ground after the equaliser, with clearly no intention of getting play restarted, even with another four minutes of added time available.
Arsenal fans compared the moment to John Stones‘ 98th-minute equaliser during the 2-2 draw in September 2024. The defender, alongside all of his teammates, sprinted back to get play restarted.
That is the defining difference that has seen Liverpool and Man City dominate the Premier League over the past decade, with the Gunners yet to lift the trophy for the first time since 2004.