On Sunday, August 31, 2025, Liverpool hosted Arsenal at Anfield in what was billed as an early-season blockbuster — a meeting between two clubs expected to battle for the Premier League title this season.
Last season, Liverpool lifted the trophy while Arsenal finished second yet again. The anticipation was huge, with reports suggesting an expected global audience of one billion viewers.
It wasn’t just a game; it was a statement of intent, a chance to seize early bragging rights in the title race.
Arsenal Showed Defensive Strength at Anfield
To Arsenal’s credit, they looked like the better side defensively for long stretches.
This wasn’t the Arsenal of old, the one that crumbled under the pressure of Anfield’s roar. We all remember Mikel Arteta blasting Liverpool’s anthem on speakers at training years ago — only for Arsenal to fold miserably on matchday. This time, things were different.
By the 23rd minute, Arsenal had already registered seven touches inside Liverpool’s box, while the hosts had none. Arteta summed it up after the game: “Liverpool didn’t create any situations of danger.”
That defensive solidity deserves recognition. But for all their structure, Arsenal left Anfield without the result their fans craved. And that raises the big question: why didn’t Arsenal score?
Arsenal’s Second-Place Curse
Arsenal fans know the pain of being “so close, yet so far.” After finishing second for three straight seasons, rival fans coined the “three-peat banter.” Now, whispers suggest if Arsenal finish second again, they’ll become the first club in history to do so four times in a row.
Arteta has been backed like no other Arsenal manager in history — his transfer spending has crossed £1 billion. The club parted ways with Arsène Wenger for not being competitive enough in the market. That financial faith means the excuses are gone. Arsenal can no longer afford to be “always the bridesmaid, never the bride.”
So, why didn’t Arteta’s side deliver at Anfield? Two key tactical issues stood out.
Viktor Gyökeres Still Too Isolated
Before the trip to Anfield, stats showed Viktor Gyökeres was one of the most isolated strikers in the Premier League this season.
Despite scoring a brace against Leeds the previous week, the Swede was starved of service against Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool’s backline.
Data revealed Gyökeres averaged just 0.80 passing options when receiving possession, barely ahead of Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood (0.79). That’s alarming for a striker bought to be Arsenal’s main finisher.
Arteta faces a tactical dilemma:
- Does he want Gyökeres to mimic Gabriel Jesus or Kai Havertz, dropping deep and linking play?
- Or should he simply build the team around Gyökeres’ natural instincts — playing on the shoulder, running channels, and finishing moves in the box?
At 27, it makes little sense to remodel Gyökeres into a false nine. He is an out-and-out striker, a player who thrives when service comes to him. Arsenal’s system must adapt to him, not the other way around.
Mikel Merino: Misprofiled in Midfield
The other puzzle is Mikel Merino’s role. Signed with the profile of a central or defensive midfielder, Merino has repeatedly looked more effective when pushed forward as an emergency striker.
However, he has consistently struggled as a central or attacking midfielder — an experiment Arteta must abandon if this season is to end differently from the last
When injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Havertz struck last season, Arteta threw Merino up front. To everyone’s surprise, he thrived: scoring four Premier League goals and one assist, plus two goals and three assists in the Champions League — including a memorable performance against Real Madrid.
His aerial strength, intelligent movement, and knack for arriving late in the box made him unexpectedly prolific. But when deployed as a midfielder, his impact dwindled. Since arriving, his contributions from midfield are sparse: just two goals and one assist across long stretches last season.
One fan said ” Arteta decided to play 3 DMS while he had 3 creative minds on the bench.”
At Anfield, Arteta lined up with Zubimendi, Rice, and Merino in the same midfield — a trio packed with defensive instincts but short on creativity. Leaving both Martin Ødegaard and new signing Eberechi Eze on the bench until late was baffling.
Another fan noted, “all the creativity is on the bench!”
The Eberechi Eze Question
Arsenal fans were furious when Arteta benched Eberechi Eze, the club’s new No. 10, signed from Crystal Palace after beating off competition from Tottenham. It was a marquee signing that pushed Arteta’s spending past £1 billion, yet he was left sidelined for most of the Anfield clash.
Arteta explained it away, saying Eze had “just arrived” and needed time to adapt. But that excuse doesn’t hold much weight — Eze is a proven Premier League playmaker, already used to English football, and even impressed against Liverpool in the Community Shield.
One critic, Alan Shearer, questioned Arteta’s decision, saying: ‘I was a little bit surprised that Arsenal didn’t start Eze. Why does he need easing in? It’s not as if he hasn’t been playing — he’s featured all season and has already faced Liverpool.’
By sticking with the conservative midfield of Zubimendi, Rice, and Merino, Arteta looked like a manager trying not to lose rather than one determined to win. Fans branded it “ridiculous,” especially given how toothless Arsenal looked until Ødegaard and Eze entered the fray.
Final Verdict
Arsenal left Anfield with credibility but no points. Their defensive display was admirable, but in the Premier League title race, clean sheets alone don’t win trophies.
- Gyökeres remains too isolated — Arsenal must provide him with service or risk wasting a £100m striker.
- Merino is misprofiled — his best work is as a makeshift forward, not a midfielder forced into roles he can’t dominate.
- Eze must be trusted — Arsenal didn’t spend big just to bench their most creative new signing. It made little sense for Mikel Arteta to lament Eberechi Eze’s missed chance after coming on, given that he had chosen to leave the creative midfielder on the bench for most of the match in the first place.
If Arteta wants to shake off the “nearly men” tag and finally lift the Premier League trophy, he must be braver in his selections. Because right now, Arsenal look like a team still destined to come second.
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