Mikel Arteta reacts after his Arsenal side had to settle for a 2-2 draw at home to Premier League title rivals Liverpool
Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal were “better” than Liverpool in their Premier League draw on Sunday. But the Gunners boss struggled to contain his discontent at what he believed were a number of decisions against his team.
The Reds twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw at the Emirates with Mohamed Salah levelling the match with nine minutes remaining.
Arsenal, who have complained of injuries in recent weeks and ended the game without three of their first-choice defenders, were in the ascendancy during the first half but were pegged back after the break with Liverpool much improved.
READ MORE: What the Liverpool away end did at full-time spoke volumes about Arsenal drawREAD MORE: What surprised Arne Slot most about Darwin Nunez in Liverpool draw at Arsenal
And with his team remaining four points behind the second-placed Reds, Arsenal boss Arteta said: “I’m very disappointed we haven’t won the game today. We were better, but (we didn’t win) because the two things we had to be better at we didn’t.
“I’m very proud of the team especially this situation we are going through (with injuries) at the moment like you couldn’t imagine.
“In the first half it was a total domination, we were really, really good, really sharp, really efficient, really determined.
“The lead should have been bigger. Without conceding anything we gave two goals away. It’s disappointing we couldn’t see the game out.
“We had five injuries in the back line and we had to adapt to it. The courage the players played with was unbelievable. We need to keep going.
“We had some big individual performances today.”
Arteta was asked about a number of instances that left Arsenal unhappy, with suggestions Virgil van Dijk could have been sent off after an early tussle with Kai Havertz while the striker had a goal chalked off towards the end with referee Anthony Taylor having already long blown for a foul.
But the former Everton midfielder responded to each incident “I prefer not to comment” until pressed on the disallowed goal, when he added: “I have been told nothing. I’m sure we will have clarity or a letter afterwards.”
