Liverpool v Arsenal - Premier League
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal suffered their first loss of the campaign away to Liverpool (Picture: Getty)
Alan Shearer says he was ‘surprised’ Mikel Arteta decided against naming Eberechi Eze in his starting XI to face Liverpool on Sunday.
Dominik Szoboszlai’s sublime 83rd-minute free-kick proved the difference in what was a cagey affair at Anfield, and the Gunners simply had no answer.
The result saw champions Liverpool take a two-point lead over Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table, with Arne Slot’s side boasting a 100 per cent record after three games.
Eze was presented to the Emirates crowd prior to Arsenal’s previous match with Leeds and there had been some calls in the week for the England international to make his full debut for the club on Merseyside.
But given Eze had only had a few days to train with his new team-mates, on the back of a £67.5million transfer from Crystal Palace, Arteta instead opted to name the attacking midfielder amongst his substitutes.
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Eze was given 20 minutes to make his mark after coming on in place of Gabriel Martinelli and the forward’s eyes lit up as the space opened up for him on the edge of the box in the closing stages – but Joe Gomez did just enough to put him off his stride.
The former Palace star will no doubt be desperate to be handed his first start when Arsenal return to action against Nottingham Forest following the international break.
Liverpool v Arsenal - Premier League
Eze was sent on in place of Martinelli in the 70th minute (Picture: Getty)
Liverpool v Arsenal - Premier League
Szoboszlai’s sublime free-kick proved the difference on Merseyside (Picture: Getty)
‘I was a little bit surprised with Arsenal not playing Eze,’ former Newcastle and England striker Shearer – the Premier League’s all-time top scorer – said on the latest episode of The Rest Is Football.
‘Why does he need easing in? It’s not as if he hasn’t played, he’s played all season already and he’s already played Liverpool.
‘I was sat having a pint with Wrighty [Ian Wright] and Wrighty was saying, “Why’s he not playing?!”, it’s not as if he hasn’t played all season.’
Newcastle United FC v Manchester United FC - Premier League
Shearer questioned Arteta’s decision to start Eze on the bench (Picture: Getty)
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Shearer added: ‘He has played and he’s up to speed and he’s already played Liverpool this season so I was slightly surprised that he wasn’t given the opportunity to go from the start.
‘Because I thought he did alright when he came on. He was a bit of a threat.
‘It was a disappointing day for Arsenal.’
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Shearer felt Arsenal needed to take more risks and be ‘braver’ if that had serious aspirations of coming away from Anfield with all three points.
‘I think you’ve got to be a little more pragmatic, a little bit more risky football… not risky, but more front-foot I guess,’ he added.
‘They’re brilliant at set-pieces, we know that, and that’s what won them the game at Old Trafford on the first day of the season.
Liverpool v Arsenal - Premier League
Martinelli struggled at Anfield (Picture: Getty)
‘But that’s not going to win you all of those games. When you look at their record against some of the big boys away from home, it’s not very good.
‘Maybe they’ll have to play a bit more risky. They need to be a bit braver and results would tell you that.
‘Also, when you’re paying that much for a centre-forward then you expect him to be given the service to make a difference in those big games, particularly away from home.’
Shearer reserved special praise for Liverpool’s match-winner, Szoboszlai, who he feels has been ‘outstanding’ in filling the void left by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
‘I tell you who has been outstanding, by the way. Trent left and we were looking to see who is going to fill in at right-back and Dominik Szoboszlai has been absolutely fantastic,’ he continued.
‘He was brilliant at Newcastle when he played right-back and he was brilliant again today.
‘And, of course, he scores that incredible goal.
‘Better things to come in terms of performance from Liverpool, but results-wise, three from three, you can’t argue with that.’
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