Why Arsenal should ignore Gary Neville as Liverpool title reality clear amid Mikel Arteta optimism

Panic stations have With so many question marks over form and the availability of Arsenal’s players, Arne Slot could not have seen the fixture fall at a better time.

Yet Arsenal have no control over that, and they will face this challenge with the face value of what is available to them. Many have made claims that it is a “must-win” for the Gunners, and defeat would spell the end of the title challenge, despite it being only October.

Arsenal have so far dropped seven points in their opening eight games with two draws against Brighton and Manchester City, while their defeat at Bournemouth last week was particularly damaging. At the same date last season, the Gunners had dropped one point less and remained unbeaten – drawing at home to Fulham and Tottenham while coming from two goals down to draw level at Chelsea.

It would certainly be a damning position to be four points worse off this time around but there is some context. The Gunners’ start to the 2024/25 season is much trickier than last campaign, with away trips to Manchester City, Aston Villa and Tottenham not having arrived yet and even their clash with Liverpool wouldn’t come until December.

The next game after this particular weekend, eerily, is the same for both 2023 and 2024, away to Newcastle. Arsenal lost that game last year and a win this time around regardless of Sunday’s result with Liverpool would again help mitigate any damages.

There appears to be some form of desperation from certain sectors to try and chuck Arsenal out of their ambitions at the earliest possible opportunity. Even suggestions that Arsenal should not be using injuries as an excuse.

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“Every club has injuries, every club has players missing,” Gary Neville said ahead of the game. “I accept that they might not like the idea as [Bukayo] Saka and [Martin] Odegaard are obviously very big players and [William] Saliba is obviously out with the self-inflicted red card.

“But I’m not accepting any excuses ahead of Sunday. I cannot listen to excuses, I don’t want any excuses from Arsenal fans, I don’t want any excuses from Mikel Arteta.”

Now, listen to what Mikel Arteta said in his pre-match press conference. “This is the game, you know, obviously, we didn't want to be in that situation, but we are really lucky as well to have the squad that we have, to have the players that we have, to have the attitude that we have,” he said when asked if he feels hard done by having so many injuries. “When it comes down to reacting against a difficult situation and don't feel sorry for ourselves, face it.

“We are a team that we know how good we are as well and how difficult we can be for the opponent. And having that ruthless mentality in the team is something that I love.”

Arsenal have one focus… Arsenal. Whatever Sunday’s result, that will continue to be the case as the outside noise and distraction is drowned out by a singular vision from within to chase the title till the very end.