Arne Slot Accuses Arsenal of Time-Wasting in Draw
Reflecting on the match, Slot remarked on the frequent stoppages due to Arsenal players going down. "There were so many times that they were on the floor, which can happen so many times in football," he noted.
After a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Arsenal, Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressed his frustration, accusing the Gunners of time-wasting tactics that disrupted the flow of the game. Despite his team's efforts to battle back twice from behind, Slot's displeasure extended to receiving a yellow card for his protests about the numerous stoppages.
The match saw Bukayo Saka open the scoring for Arsenal with a stunning goal, only for Virgil van Dijk to equalize with a header. Mikel Merino then scored his first goal for the club from a free-kick, putting Arsenal back in the lead. However, injuries to key players Gabriel Magalhães and Jurriën Timber left the hosts vulnerable, allowing Mohamed Salah to net his 11th goal in 15 Premier League appearances against Arsenal, securing a point for Liverpool.
Reflecting on the match, Slot remarked on the frequent stoppages due to Arsenal players going down. "There were so many times that they were on the floor, which can happen so many times in football," he noted. Although he acknowledged that he didn't blame Arsenal for their actions, he felt it drained the energy from the game. His frustration boiled over when he expressed his disbelief to defender Ibrahima Konaté, which led to the referee, Anthony Taylor, interpreting it as a slight against him.
Following the match, Slot shared his thoughts on Liverpool's resilience. "Today we had to fight really hard to get back into the game, and that shows a great mentality," he stated. While he stopped short of labeling Liverpool as title contenders this season, he expressed satisfaction with the team's performance, particularly their second-half showing.
On the other side, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta refrained from criticizing referee Taylor for some contentious decisions, including a potential red card for Van Dijk and the disallowed late goal by substitute Ethan Nwaneri. He acknowledged the team's need to catch up with their rivals in the league standings, stating, "You don’t want to be in that position. You want to be ahead. But this is where we are."
Despite the setbacks, Arteta remains optimistic about the team's spirit and potential for improvement. "The team is alive, the team wants it. I feel it every single day," he said. With injuries and player absences affecting their squad, Arteta believes that they will eventually find their rhythm and improve their standing in the league.
