Mikel Arteta manager of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Liverpool at Emirates Stadium on January 08, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)placeholder image
Mikel Arteta manager of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Liverpool at Emirates Stadium on January 08, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Liverpool were held to a 0-0 draw against Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta suggested had ‘more domination’ in the second half of Arsenal’s draw against Liverpool.
The Reds, who are the Premier League champions, battled to a goalless stalemate against the runaway top-flight leaders at the Emirates Stadium. The encounter was hardly a classic, with both sides having a dearth of chances.
Arsenal were better in the first period, although Liverpool went closest to scoring when Conor Bradley hit the crossbar. After soaking up pressure, the visitors saw much more of the ball in the second half but lacked a cutting edge. The Gunners did end the encounter on the front foot, although Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker made comfortable saves from Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli.
Speaking at his post-match press conference, Arsenal boss Arteta said: “Well obviously we wanted to win the game, unfortunately we didn't manage to do that in the first half. We were much closer to that with the amount of situations and the spaces that we arrived into. Normally you have to pick someone in the box and it's a goal.
“We had much more domination in the second half. We struggled to dominate the game more through two things. One, because we gave some very unnecessary balls away, very unlike with us, and that didn't allow us to travel together as a team. And when you don't do that, you are not compact and they start to drop everybody behind the ball and through the midfield, and back, without having any presence in the box obviously. But they have the ball, because I don't think they had a single shot on target tonight. But we struggled more to dominate the game and to be a threat in the opposition box.”
Arsenal had a chance to go eight points clear of second-placed Manchester City at the top of the table with a victory - and some 16 in front of title-holders Liverpool. Asked if it was a missed opportunity, Arteta replied: “Yeah, every time you don't win. But then we would have been 12, 15 or 20 points ahead. I have to really praise the team and the players individually for what they've done in this Christmas period.
“Because the demands and the schedule, it's unbelievable. And what they've done, I think, is remarkable. So to come out of this period with all the issues that we had, in the position that we are, in our strong position that we are, I think the boys deserve my credit and everybody's recognition.”
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