Arsenal Intended To Be Attacking At Liverpool But Still ‘deserved Better’, Claims Merino

Mikel Merino has insisted that Arsenal did not group retired to beryllium cautious successful their 1-0 conclusion astatine Liverpool connected Sunday. The midfielder said nan team’s desire was ever to onslaught but successful nan look of Liverpool’s threat connected transitions, his broadside recovered nan equilibrium difficult to find.

Mikel Arteta was criticised for his selection, which saw him beef up successful nan mediate pinch nan inclusion of Merino successful nan No 10 domiciled – Martin Ødegaard was fresh capable only to beryllium a substitute – and besides commencement nan caller signing, Eberechi Eze, connected nan bench.

The guidance was outcome-based. Had Dominik Szoboszlai not located nan apical area pinch a 30-yard free-kick successful nan 83rd minute, Arteta would astir apt person been praised for engineering a 4th successive Premier League tie astatine Anfield. However, Szoboszlai produced a masterpiece and Arsenal departed pinch regrets.

They took successful nan mentation that Liverpool mightiness person been susceptible against opponents who attacked pinch gusto. They had conceded doubly successful each of their erstwhile 3 matches this season, including nan Community Shield against Crystal Palace. The champions are bedding successful caller signings.

Arsenal did not put it to nan test, prioritising power and preventing Liverpool from moving astatine them pinch nan ball. The statistic showed Arteta’s squad managed only 1 changeable connected target and had nary large chances. That said, Liverpool besides created precious small and Arteta did present Ødegaard and Eze successful nan 70th minute. The visiting head wanted to push for nan triumph successful nan closing stages.

“The mentality is ever to spell forward, to beryllium attacking, to beryllium aggressive, to effort to predominate nan crippled and create chances,” Merino said. “But sometimes nan crippled of shot is for illustration this. Sometimes nan shot puts you successful a definite situation. You person to accommodate to it.

“Against teams for illustration Liverpool … they are a large threat running. We knew that. So we wanted to onslaught and create chances but astatine nan aforesaid clip they wanted to beryllium low, hold for america to make a correction and tally forward. It’s tricky to effort to attack, not make mistakes astatine nan aforesaid time, and create chances.”

It was Arsenal’s first nonaccomplishment against a rival from nan alleged “Big Six” successful 23 matches and their first distant conclusion successful nan convention successful 16. Szoboszlai’s extremity was their first they had conceded this season. Merino called for position and said he retained religion that Arsenal would situation for nan title, particularly fixed nan scope of options unfastened to Arteta aft £263m was spent connected caller signings.

“The mentality connected nan squad is that we tin do large things,” Merino said. “We want to return that adjacent measurement and I deliberation we are ready. Games for illustration Liverpool are difficult to digest because nan emotion was we deserved better.

“But overall, I’m very excited for this squad; nan magnitude of value we have, nan magnitude of extent we person now. It’s to create nan relationships pinch nan caller guys and everyone needs clip to adapt. In nan future, I deliberation we’re going to beryllium ready.”