Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has shared his insights on Liverpool and their new head coach Arne Slot ahead of their highly anticipated Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, Soccernet.football reports.
This headline fixture marks the conclusion of gameweek nine in the 2024-25 season, as Arsenal and Liverpool face off in a battle that could have serious title implications.
Both Arsenal and Liverpool clinched narrow 1-0 wins in midweek Champions League outings, with Arsenal edging out Shakhtar Donetsk and Liverpool defeating RB Leipzig.
Arsenal’s recent record at home is formidable, with nine wins from their last ten competitive games at the Emirates.
However, the absence of the suspended William Saliba could impact their defensive solidity; Arsenal’s Premier League win rate has dropped to 45% without Saliba, compared to 74% when he plays.
Liverpool, under Slot’s management, arrive in North London buoyed by a successful start to the season.
Slot’s arrival on Merseyside has sparked new life into the Reds, who remain unbeaten and recently passed a tough test against Chelsea, securing a 2-1 victory thanks to a Mohamed Salah penalty and a crucial Curtis Jones goal.
Arteta praised Liverpool’s strengths, noting, “It’s a team that, you know, for nine years has been competing on the highest level in every competition… They have individual quality to damage you; they are good on set-pieces. It’s a team that for nine years consistently has been there. That means that they are really good at everything that they do.”
The Arsenal boss is confident his team can compete if they execute their game plan effectively. He commented, “That things go our way, you know, and that we play the game that we want to play. That play with dominance… playing with that belief, energy, and commitment that is necessary in a big match like this.”
Reflecting on Slot’s influence at Liverpool, Arteta remarked, “They’re obviously in a really good moment… you can see the touch that he’s given to a team that was already very strong, but you can see his fingerprints on that team.” He added that Slot’s successful integration is unsurprising given Liverpool’s quality, infrastructure, and Slot’s management style.
Arteta acknowledged Liverpool’s title credentials, likening them to Manchester City: “Yeah, for me they are one of the best teams in the last decade… consistently competing against a team that was creating record after record. To consistently believe in you at some point you feel that you could not reach it. So that’s a big credit to them.”
Currently one point ahead of City, Liverpool will likely be chasing their rivals if City defeat Southampton on Saturday.