Saturday’s match against Liverpool was probably the biggest test of Bernd Leno’s nascent Arsenal career. Source Arsenal.com;
Arsenal goalkeeper was kept busy throughout at Emirates Stadium, and after the game, he spoke to the media. Here’s what he said:
on if he’s satisfied with the draw…
A little bit. I think we had more chances with them. We played very well and we deserved to win, but the way we played was very good.
on Liverpool’s goal…
It was a cross, it was a little bit unlucky for me because it was in the middle and Milner scored. But the reaction of the team was perfect. After two or three minutes, we had the next chance to score. That shows the character of this team.
on the team’s approach…
The manager has a new philosophy. Many things changed, because Arsène Wenger was here for a long time. It was clear we needed time but like you saw today, the movement and the confidence of the players is always getting better. Today we controlled the game against a big club, against big players, and now we’ll keep working.
on the team’s objectives this season…
A trophy and qualifying for the Champions League.
Alexandre Lacazette’s late strike helped us to a deserved draw against Liverpool at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
James Milner gave the visitors the lead on the hour mark following a thrilling first-half performance where both sides threatened in the final third.
But with less than 10 minutes left to play, Alex Iwobi played Lacazette through on goal - and the Frenchman made no mistake in curling the ball past Alisson into the far corner.
You can watch all the highlights from the match by pressing the 'play' button above, while Lacazette’s goal and a full-match replay can be seen below.
‘We’ve got special team chemistry’
Seven clearances, six recoveries, four tackles, two interceptions and a block: Rob Holding’s stats against Liverpool on Saturday night made for impressive reading.
Our centre half helped keep the visitors’ attacking trio of Mo Sarah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino largely quiet - and after the game, he reflected on our late comeback.
on the game…
It was fast paced and we knew it was going to be like that with their style of play and the way we’ve been playing this season - getting the ball down and breaking with pace. It was end-to-end stuff and entertaining for the fans, and we’ve come away for a draw, though it could have been more. If we’d have lost that game, it would have been so unlucky. We’ll take the draw and hopefully next time we’ll get three points.
on positive fan sentiment…
Yeah definitely. I thought the fans were fantastic today. They got right behind us when we went a goal down and that lifted us. We got confidence from that. If everyone’s together, the sky is the limit. We’ll just keep pushing on.
on if he feels as though we’re on Liverpool’s level…
It’s a competitive league. Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool have all had flying starts and we’re right on their tails, so we’ve just got to keep ticking away with the points and you never know what can happen further on in the season.
on the fighting spirit and togetherness…
There’s a really good team chemistry here and a winning mentality. We’re not losing and we’ll keep fighting until the end. We never give up, we’ll keep going and get what we deserve.
Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool: How it happened
WHAT HAPPENED
Alexandre Lacazette scored a fantastic late equaliser to extend our unbeaten run in a pulsating Premier League encounter.
We were full value for the point in an end-to-end match, but had to come from behind after James Milner pounced on Bernd Leno's parry on the hour mark.
The goal seemed to have knocked the stuffing out of us, after we had expended so much energy in the first half.
But with less than 10 minutes remaining substitute Alex Iwobi threaded the ball into the box for Lacazette to run onto. It looked as though the striker had taken the ball too wide when rounding Allison, but he composed himself to fire just inside the far post.
Emirates was rocking once more, as it had been for most of the evening to be fair.
We started well, Aubameyang had a shot turned round the near post before Henrikh Mkhitaryan beat Allison to a deep cross, only for his header to drop just wide.
But then Liverpool stepped up a gear. Sadio Mane had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside after Roberto Firmino's shot came to him off the post, before Bernd Leno saved from Virgil van Dijk and Andrew Robertson.
Arsenal rode the storm, and came roaring back. The game was alive now, and being played at a fantastic pace. We started to creating chances of our own. Lacazette came closest, dragging his shot just wide from Mesut Ozil's superb flick.
Lacazette put the ball in the net shortly afterwards, but the linesman's flag had already gone up.
It was a thrilling half, that somehow ended goalless. Van Dijk headed against the post injury-time with Leno well beaten.
We started the second half on the front foot, but it was Liverpool who struck first. Mane's cross was palmed away by Leno, but only to the waiting Milner who fired home.
Lucas Torreira was denied by Allison just a minute after we fell behind, the lively Uruguayan swapped passes outside the area but his effort was tipped just over.
Unai Emery, celebrating his birthday, then made a couple of substitutions, introducing Aaron Ramsey and Iwobi, and the latter created the breakthrough, finding Lacazette with a fine pass.
Hector Bellerin blazed a late chance over the bar on his wrong foot, and in the end we settled for a point, taking our unbeaten run to 14 matches in all competitions.
TEAM NEWS
For the first time ever Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Aubameyang and Lacazette were all named in the same starting XI, while full-backs Bellerin and Sead Kolasinac both shook off injuries to be selected.
In all there were nine changes from the midweek win over Blackpool, with only Mkhitaryan and Shkodran Mustafi retaining their places.
WHAT'S NEXT
The third of four consecutive home games is this Thursday evening against Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League. Victory would guarantee top spot with two games to spare.
We are next in Premier League action on Sunday, against Wolves at Emirates Stadium at 4.30pm.
'The atmosphere today was very big'
Unai Emery praised the Arsenal fans for 'pushing the team for 90 minutes' and inspiring the Gunners to earn a late draw with Liverpool.
The head coach declared himself happy with the performance at Emirates Stadium, and the way the fans got behind the team, despite falling behind after 60 minutes.
"One characteristic of Liverpool is the intensity and their big players, so today was a good test for us," Emery told the media.
"We need more, I think we need more in our work and tactically also, but the spirit is how we want it and also the atmosphere today was very big with the supporters pushing for 90 minutes. Today is a very good spectacle for them and for us."
Emery, who turned 47 on the day of the game, also said he can see clear signs of development from his team, but also believes that there is more to come.
"I think progress comes with time, a long time. In football it's very difficult to ask for a lot of time, but we need it. A good example is the games against Manchester City and Chelsea, then today against Liverpool. The performances and how different the matches have been played.
"I think of these three matches, today is a more competitive game for us."
Emery's press conference: every single word
Unai Emery was a happy man after Alexandre Lacazette scored a late equaliser to earn a point against Liverpool. Here's every single word from his post-match press conference.
on a deserved draw…
I don’t know. I'm happy with our performance and I think today the balance in the 90 minutes is more balanced positively with the control against them, but it’s very difficult to not let them have chances also. We needed a little luck in some moments of the match and also we needed, when we were attacking, to find our goal. It’s the reason that at the end, I think 1-1 is a good result for how we did in the 90 minutes after 1-0 when we are losing and it’s the reason we are happy 50 per cent. The second, maybe also we can lose in one moment and in the 90 minutes we could also have won in the balance of the 90 minutes.
on the crowd…
One characteristic of Liverpool is the intensity and their big players, so today was a good test for us. We need more, I think we need more in our work and tactically also, but the spirit is like we want and also the atmosphere today was a very big atmosphere with the supporters pushing for 90 minutes. Today is a very good spectacle for them and for us.
on belief growing…
I think the progress is with time, a long time. In football it's very difficult to ask for a lot of time, but we need it. A good example is against Manchester City, Chelsea and today against Liverpool, the performance and how different matches have been played. I think in these three matches, today is a more competitive game for us.
on Iwobi’s impact…
We need every player and the characteristics he has are important. Iwobi can impact highly in the match, also in the beginning of the match when we play with him starting on the bench. Today, I think he started on the right and then he was better on the left. He had an impact in some moments on the match, like with our goal. His energy is important, his quality. But he can do better also. He scored against Chelsea, there’s been a lot of matches, I want him to be nearer the box to score more and I think that he can. I think he is very young and he is improving, but I have ambition because he can do more.
on matching the top teams…
The first thing is that the Premier League is the first competition for us because it is giving us the big regularity in the season. 38 matches. It’s very important when you play against City and Chelsea or against Liverpool. If you win, it’s better, but a lot of matches are very important because three points is the same against Liverpool or against Crystal Palace. Today is one test, how we are against one team, after City, after Chelsea, maybe today we were more near with our performance. But also, we need the regularity of every match and the next match against Wolverhampton here, is the same. Another important game.
on the idea of a European Super League…
I don’t know exactly. Maybe this is a bigger discussion with more time to explain together with the football world and with people, for what is the best competition in the world. I think it’s a bigger discussion with more knowledge.
on the late goal and our goalscorers…
We have a top scorer like Aubameyang and also Lacazette can score a lot, and other players. This statistic is important. This goal, for Laca and for us, is important. To continue creating chances to score is important. Today I think we had a lot. It is important for us to continue in this way of having chances.
‘We’ve shown we have the quality to compete’
For around 20 minutes on Saturday night, it looked as though our 13-game unbeaten run was to come to an end.
James Milner had given Liverpool the lead at the Emirates after an hour, but we kept fighting and eventually got our reward through Alexandre Lacazette’s superb late finish.
After the game, Laca and Alex Iwobi spoke to the media - and here’s what they said:
Lacazette on the game…
AL: I think the point is enough for both teams. It was a good game, we worked a lot. I think everyone enjoyed it.
Iwobi on the game…
AI: It was a difficult game and we always knew it was going to be a difficult game. We’re both attacking teams and I guess a fair result was a draw.
on if this was a marker of Arsenal’s progress…
AL: Yeah, because the first big game we lost, but we knew if we worked as we’ve done for 13 games, we could get some points. Today we saw we have the quality to play at the top of the league.
on a quick start…
AL: Yeah the first half has maybe been a little bit hard but in the second half we have been better, maybe more physical and it’s good.
on if Arsenal are a tougher team to play this season…
AI: Yeah, you can see from each player we’re giving [a major] shift in work and the intensity. You can see the coach demands a lot, not just in matches but in training, and the results show on the pitch.
on what changes Emery has made - and if they’re not allowed fruit juice…
AI: I keep reading that juice is banned but we do get it in the morning and there’s even juice in here, so he’s not too strict.
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