Arteta hails Arsenal’s 14-year wait-ending win at Liverpool

Mikel Arteta said Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield was a source of immense pride after the Gunners finally ended a 14-year wait for a Premier League win at the stadium.

The result, secured on Sunday in the ninth round of the Premier League season, was Arsenal’s first league victory at Anfield since 2012. Arteta praised his players not only for the result but also for the determination they showed to achieve it.

“I am extremely proud. Fourteen years is a long time,” Arteta told Sky Sports. “I am sure we made everyone connected with the club extremely proud today. Not just because we won, but because of the way we did it and the fighting spirit we showed.”

Arsenal had gone into the match after losing to Fleetwood and being eliminated from the cup four days earlier, a result Arteta felt made the victory even more significant.

“Looking at what happened four days ago, when you lose and go out of the cup against a team you were expected to beat, this is the magic of the game,” he said. “It can take you to some really bad places, but four days later you have the opportunity to create something historic, and we did that.”

Arteta said Liverpool’s attacking style demanded constant concentration, with even a misplaced clearance or throw-in capable of triggering a dangerous counter-attack.

“The game can change very quickly,” he said, according to the BBC. “Their attacking approach is special. They can attack vertically from a poor clearance or a poor throw-in, and that is their strength. You have to be ready to react immediately and cover 60 metres defensively against four or five players running towards your penalty area.”

Arsenal had prepared specifically for those situations, although Arteta acknowledged that their execution was inconsistent.

“We discussed it and gave everything in those movements,” he added. “Sometimes the quality was high, sometimes it was lower, and we created some chaos in our own defence.”

Despite those difficulties, Arteta said Arsenal deserved credit for overcoming Liverpool, particularly given the mental blow suffered against Fleetwood.

“To win against a team playing like that, in the psychological state we were in after the Fleetwood match, is what a winning side has to do,” he said.

The Arsenal manager also reflected on the demands of playing at Anfield, saying his team had previously failed to turn strong performances into victories because of mistakes, poor decisions in the penalty area or bad luck.

“You have to go through this experience, otherwise you will not win,” he said. “Today all those factors came together, along with a bit of luck, and we had the quality in the right moments to hurt them.”

Asked about a penalty appeal for Liverpool after a shirt pull involving Alexander Isak, Arteta replied: “No, I didn’t see it.”

He played down the significance of the victory in the title race, saying it was too early to draw conclusions. Arsenal will now prepare for their Champions League match against Slavia Prague on 04 November 2026, while Liverpool are listed to face Fenerbahce on the same date.

“Let’s enjoy this great victory with the players and staff,” Arteta said. “Tomorrow we will start preparing for another big night in Prague.”

He added that victories over opponents Arsenal had not beaten away from home for years were central to the club’s ambition.

“I love winning when it is something we have not achieved for many years,” he said. “It was the same with Chelsea and Manchester United away from home. To be able to overcome all of them is the aim and the motivation, and that is why we do what we do.”