Mikel Arteta Not Pleased With Arsenal’s first Half Performance in their 2-2 draw with Liverpool

Arsenal found themselves two goals behind after conceding twice in quick succession during the first half at Anfield. The first goal came when they were caught off guard by a quick throw-in, which led to Andy Robertson delivering a cross for Cody Gakpo to head in.

However, Mikel Arteta’s side responded strongly in the second half, leveling the score with goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino, and despite Merino’s red card for a second yellow, they held on to earn a point.

“How we performed in the first half was nowhere near good enough. To then fight back like that is great, but it’s still not acceptable,” Arteta told Sky Sports after the match.

During his post-match press conference, Arteta elaborated on what he found unacceptable in his team’s performance when asked by BBC Sport.

“There were many things, particularly the defending and the mistakes we made after losing possession, which is absolutely unforgivable against a team like this,” he explained.

“We were nowhere near our best. I was really frustrated. Yes, we reacted, but I dislike reactions—I prefer action.”

He continued, “If we want to win trophies, there comes a moment where you either win or you don’t. If you don’t, you have to keep going when you’ve worked hard for nine months. That’s what today is about.”

“If you can’t win, you need to be the best of the rest. I was really, really upset.”