William Gallas believes Arsenal missed a trick in their big Premier League match at Liverpool before the international break
Mikel Arteta, manager of Arsenal, reacts during his side’s 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield(Image: Alex Pantling/Getty Imagess)
It is far too early in the season to say that any one game could have defined the Premier League title race. But Liverpool’s last outing did suggest why the defending champions are the favourites to retain their crown.
The visit of Arsenal will not go down as a classic and a bore draw long looked like being the final outcome. But whereas Arsenal, not for the first time under manager Mikel Arteta, appeared to keep the handbrake on, Liverpool, roared on by the Anfield support, did manage to move through the gears.
And while far from at their best, Arne Slot‘s men were rewarded for their endeavor when Dominik Szoboszlai curled in a wondrous free-kick to secure a 1-0 victory.
READ MORE: ‘Every two hours’ – Ibrahima Konate makes Real Madrid transfer joke as Liverpool Marc Guehi stance emergesREAD MORE: What the ECHO was told about summer transfers as Liverpool become marked men
It moved the Reds to the top of the table and left them as the only team with a 100% winning record from the opening three rounds of matches.
It also led to further questions over Arteta and his Gunners side, who have finished second in the past three seasons, behind Liverpool in 2024-25 and behind Manchester City in the campaigns before that.
And former Arsenal defender William Gallas believes his old club missed a trick.
He said: “I think, especially at the start of the season, if your team is ready to fight for the Premier League, to win the title, and you have the players that Arsenal have, then you should do everything you can to win that game.
“This squad is meant to be ready to fight for the title this season. But when you play against Liverpool at the start of the season, you have a chance to send a message by beating them because they are not quite ready yet.
“They’ve got all these new players, and some of them have yet to start performing.
“I was surprised by Liverpool’s performance against Arsenal. Liverpool made a lot of mistakes and Arsenal played very well. They kept the ball well, they controlled the game, but at some point if you do all those things, then you have to score a goal.
“You have to kill your opponent when you get the chance and that didn’t happen. Instead, they let Liverpool believe that they had a chance and they had a magic free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai.
“I think Arteta said that the game was always going to be decided by one of two things: a mistake or a moment of magic. And it’s true, the magic came from a Liverpool player, but why wasn’t it one of Arsenal’s?
“That’s my point, why didn’t Arsenal produce that? Now Liverpool have that self-belief. Their new players are going to be ready soon. They will start to look really scary when those new players adapt and they just went and signed (Alexander) Isak too!
“When Liverpool weren’t playing well, that was Arsenal’s chance to take advantage and for them to lay down an early season marker and build some momentum, because Liverpool were there for the taking.”
The Reds followed the win over the Gunners by completing a £125m British transfer record move for Newcastle United superstar Isak, whose arrival adds to the array of attacking options available to head coach Slot.
After a huge summer of spending themselves, Arsenal also have plenty of options. And Gallas, who won the Premier League twice in his playing career during his time at Chelsea, believes the pressure is on former Everton midfielder Arteta to deliver.
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
£49
£35
Sky
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.
Speaking to Gambling Zone, the ex-France international said: “Mikel Arteta has got the squad he wanted. He’s been given what he needs.
“Okay, we’re still at the start of the season and maybe they need a little more time. But the only question left is if he is the manager to lift a major trophy with Arsenal? I’m not sure.
“I mean even if he does everything well, Liverpool will be a massive problem. They look very strong and they will only get better.
“If Liverpool don’t take their eye off the ball, then the only thing Arsenal can do is to match them by not making any mistakes for the rest of the season.
“Already, they might need to win every game from here. They can’t drop one. If Arsenal start dropping points from here, then, yeah, we can decide that Arteta is the wrong man.
“He’s lost points against Liverpool that they shouldn’t have lost. Every game is one where he needs to play catch-up, both home and away.”
The Reds return to action on Sunday (September 14) when they travel to Burnley. The Gunners host Nottingham Forest the previous day.