Mikel Arteta wants Arsenal to use Liverpool guard of honour as title fuel

LONDON – Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal to use the frustration of having to give champions Liverpool a guard of honour on May 11 as fuel to win the English Premier League title next season, after admitting they have gone “backwards” this term.

Arteta’s side are destined to finish the season without a major trophy after failing to keep pace with Liverpool and

crashing out of the Champions League semi-finals

on May 7.

The Gunners’ 2-1 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg (3-1 on aggregate) ended their bid to win the tournament for the first time.

It was a painful loss for Arsenal, who created a host of chances in the early stages of the second leg but could not find a way past inspired PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Still licking their wounds from the disappointment in Paris, Arsenal head to Anfield on May 11 for the uncomfortable task of watching Liverpool’s ongoing title celebrations. Arne Slot’s men wrapped up the title two weeks ago, leaving second-placed Arsenal trailing in their wake.

After finishing as runners-up to Manchester City for the previous two seasons, the north Londoners remain without a league title since 2004.

“Something has to drive you, motivate you, and pain for this is a good one to use, when you really want to do something. It’s the right thing to do, usually as a motivation for next season,” Arteta said of Arsenal’s guard of honour for the champions.

“They’ve been the best team, they’ve been the most consistent... They fully deserve it, and that’s the sport. If somebody is better, you have to accept it and try to reach that level.”

Arteta attracted criticism in some quarters for claiming Arsenal were the best team in the Champions League this season, despite their last-four exit.

The Spaniard stood by his claim days later, saying: “100 per cent. I’m watching the impact, I’m watching all the stats because they were the best stats and the best goal difference in the semi-final, so it’s very clear. When you look at the important stats that normally give you the best platform to win football matches, it’s crystal clear who was better.”

Arteta conceded the Gunners have been unable to match his expectations this season, but he is adamant they have the quality to end the club’s five-year trophy drought.

“In the Premier League, we’ve done a step backwards. With the points that we have created, it’s clear that we haven’t done as good as last season, that’s obvious,” he said.

“But with the amount of points that we have generated in the last few seasons, we could have two Premier Leagues... We have to be a little bit luckier, but still do better to make sure that nobody has a season better than you.”

Meanwhile, Liverpool boss Arne Slot has warned excessive transfer fees could prevent him from signing a tailor-made replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who

looks set to join Real Madrid

after announcing on May 5 that he was leaving the Reds when his contract expires in June.

His exit leaves Liverpool short of cover in his position, with 21-year-old Conor Bradley, who has 54 senior appearances, now their only recognised right-back.

Said Slot: “That’s the most difficult thing for a club like Liverpool if you just won the league is that it is not easy to find better players than we already have. And if they are there, then they still need to be affordable and need to want to come. That last thing is mostly not a problem, by the way, but transfer fees sometimes are.” AFP