Mikel Arteta has warned his players not to fall into the Anfield �washing machine� as his side prepare for a mouth-watering title clash against Liverpool...
Mikel Arteta has warned his players not to fall into the Anfield �washing machine� as his side prepare for a mouth-watering title clash against Liverpool this evening.
Arsenal head into this crunch match one point above Liverpool in the table but have notoriously struggled in this fixture.
The Gunners haven�t won at Anfield in 13 matches, a run that dates back to 2012 when Lukasz Podolski and Santi Cazorla scored in a 2-0 win.
Last season, it was the 2-2 draw in this very match that knocked the wind out of Arsenal�s sails in their pursuit of the title.
Mikel Arteta�s side raced into a two-goal lead through Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus in April before Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool a lifeline in the second half. Roberto Firmino then stepped up right at the end for the equaliser.
Arsenal followed this result with just three wins from their final nine Premier League matches as the Gunners handed Manchester City the title, despite topping the table for 248 days of the season.
Arteta is fully aware of the power that Anfield can have and recalls previously feeling �stuck� and unable to �react� as a player.
In recent years, his side have inadvertently fired up the Liverpool crowd.
On one occasion in 2021, Arteta clashed with Jurgen Klopp on the touchline while Granit Xhaka did the same when he clashed heads with Trent Alexander-Arnold last season.
Mikel Arteta devises Anfield game plan
Ahead of this fixture, Arteta has admitted they have to play their own game and not get drawn into any scuffles that could potentially fire up the home crowd.
He knows how detrimental it could be to their chances of winning if they allow the hosts to gain the upper hand physically and emotionally.
Speaking on Friday, he said: �The game plan and everything we discuss, to try to be away from that game [that Liverpool want], and to put on our washing machine that is very powerful.
�You have to go to these stadiums and you have to prove as a team what you are capable of doing. It is going to be a really competitive match, for sure, that we are going to try to win. If we manage to do that, it is going to be a really powerful thing for our team.�
Arteta�s side have evolved into a side capable of managing the big games this season.
In four matches against the �big six�, Arsenal are unbeaten with two wins and two draws, including a 1-0 victory over the champions.
This evening, he�ll hope his side can drown out the noise and come away with their first victory at Anfield in over a decade.
