After suffering a surprise 0-1 defeat at home to West Ham United, questions emerged about Arsenal’s ability to keep up in the Premier League race against Liverpool. However, coach Mikel Arteta remained defiant, stating that he would not give up on the title race “over my dead body.”
With Liverpool extending their lead to 11 points, Arsenal now face an uphill battle to reclaim the Premier League top spot, with less than five months remaining in the season. Ahead of the crucial match against Nottingham Forest, Arteta emphasized his team’s mentality and commitment to the cause.
“The resilience, resources, and ambition this team has shown… That’s been one of my proudest moments as a coach,” Arteta said. “The thing is, when you’re there, you always want more. And I’m not stopping. Over my dead body. We can’t stop thinking that way, and we’ll put everything we can into increasing the probability of winning and being better than the opponent.”
When asked to clarify his comments, Arteta doubled down, addressing both his players and the fans: “Over my dead body. If I don’t believe this, I’ll go home. Mathematically, it’s possible. We’re here, and we have to play every game. Suddenly, three days from now, we could close the gap and be just ‘one and a half games away.’ It doesn’t matter, we have to keep going.”
“If you want to win the Premier League with the circumstances that we have, you’re going to have to do something special, something that nobody else has done in the history of the league,” he added, acknowledging the significant injuries the team has faced in recent months.
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Arsenal currently sit in second place with 53 points from 26 games, while Liverpool lead the table with 64 points from 27 matches. The upcoming game against third-place Nottingham Forest will be a crucial test of Arsenal’s resolve as they look to mount a serious challenge to Liverpool’s title hopes.
When will Arsenal and Liverpool meet again?
Arsenal and Liverpool previously faced off in the 2024-25 Premier League season on Matchday 9, with the game ending in a 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium, leaving no clear winner in the title race.
However, there is still one critical “six-point” game to come. The two teams will meet again at Anfield on Matchday 36, just two games before the season concludes on May 10. If both teams continue at their current pace, this match could prove decisive in either confirming Liverpool as champions or handing Arsenal the chance to steal the title from them.
