Arsenal boss Arteta told he risks silverware by playing with the handbrake on

Pressure is building on Mikel Arteta to change his approach at Arsenal or risk finishing another campaign without silverware.

Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to Liverpool has divided opinion among supporters. Some argue it was a close contest decided by Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick, while others believe Arteta once again held his side back with an overly cautious setup.

Starting with Declan Rice, Mikel Merino, and Martin Odegaard in midfield raised eyebrows, particularly given how Newcastle had recently shown the way to trouble Liverpool by relentlessly attacking. The Reds had conceded six goals and faced more than ten shots on target in their three games leading into the Arsenal clash, but Arteta’s side managed just one effort on target across 97 minutes.

Carragher’s criticism

Speaking on The Overlap podcast, Jamie Carragher compared Arsenal to the Liverpool sides he played in under Rafa Benítez and Gérard Houllier.

“You know what Arsenal remind me of? The Liverpool teams I played in. Under Benítez and Houllier, we were a nightmare to play against,” Carragher said.

“I think you’d say that, Scholesy, at times, in one-off games, tough to play against. But it always felt that both managers, at times, had the handbrake on a little bit.”

Reflecting on Arteta’s selection against Liverpool, he added: “It still feels like that with Arteta, and I don’t think it’s ever going to change. That team sheet, before the ball was kicked, told me everything.”