MX23RW : Thursday, December 12 18:54:52| >> :60:1364:1364:

Mikel Arteta urges Arsenal to "adapt" against Liverpool

Mikel Arteta urges Arsenal to
© Reuters
The Gunners won the corresponding fixture 2-1 last year.

Mikel Arteta wants to see Arsenal approach their fixture with Liverpool in a different way to last season – even though his side were victorious against the Premier League champions.

The Gunners came from behind at the Emirates Stadium to win the corresponding game 2-1 last year.

Both goals resulted from Liverpool mistakes as Virgil Van Dijk and Alisson Becker errors were capitalised on by Alexandre Lacazette and Reiss Nelson.

Reiss Nelson scored the winning goal the last time Liverpool visited the Emirates Stadium.
Reiss Nelson scored the winning goal the last time Liverpool visited the Emirates Stadium. (Shaun Botterill/NMC Pool)

But Arteta has been looking to implement his own philosophy on the team this season, albeit with varying success, and that will not change when Liverpool head to north London on Saturday.

Arsenal were victorious despite having just 31 per cent possession – with similar statistics in wins over Manchester City and Chelsea delivering Arteta an FA Cup in his first season in charge.

"I think the game dictates that," the boss said when asked if Arsenal will play their own way against Liverpool this time around.

"I think sometimes you have to adapt to the opponent because they're just better than you and sometimes you can make the opponent adapt.

"We'll see, depending on what they are able to do and what we are able to do as well. Obviously, the intention and the game we want to propose is different to the one that we played last year.

"When you play against top-quality sides, sometimes you have to be able to adapt your game to get the results that you need."

Arteta has been full of praise for Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp
Arteta has been full of praise for Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp. (Paul Childs/NMC Pool)

If Arsenal can repeat their victory from last season they will move to within a point of Liverpool in the table.

Jurgen Klopp's side have struggled in the fight to retain their Premier League crown but Arteta admits he has been impressed with the evolution at Anfield since the German arrived in 2015.

"I don't like to compare different projects – I think what they've done is remarkable," he added when asked if his task at Arsenal is similar to Klopp's at Liverpool.

"It's been really intelligent. The way they managed resources and the way they have maximised resources has been exceptional.

"They've done it really, really well and now it is about sustaining that. We are in different phases of that project right now but we know exactly where we are and where we want to be and in the first one of two phases.

"We had some priorities that we had to address to be in a position to now evolve the squad, evolve the team and start to compete on a different level and this is where we are."

ID:441532:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect7785:
Written by
P A

Click here for more stories about Mikel Arteta

Click here for more stories about Arsenal

Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
RB Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konate pictured in October 2020
Read Next:
Konate 'unhappy at RB Leipzig amid Liverpool links'
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool14112129111835
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
20Southampton1512121131-205


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!