Arteta hails Arsenal’s Anfield win over Liverpool after 14-year wait

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta celebrated his team’s win over Liverpool at Anfield, calling it exceptional after a 14-year wait to achieve the feat at their opponents’ ground. He praised the character and focus his players showed despite their cup exit before the match.

Arteta said winning at Anfield held a special place and that the contest had been decided by fine margins. He explained that defensive discipline and closing down spaces had helped secure the three points, although Liverpool’s failure to shoot on target did not, in his view, reflect how difficult the match had felt to his team on the pitch.

He added that Arsenal had been aware of the difficulty of the task and the pressure associated with their previous record at Anfield, and that playing there required them to accept that they would suffer, in anticipation of Liverpool changing their tempo. He described the opposition as a top-class team and said the victory gave Arsenal’s project an important boost, while stressing the need to stay focused because the journey was still long.