Gary Neville took a swipe at Arsenal’s growing reliance on set-pieces after Liverpool’s crucial 2-0 win over Manchester City pushed them 11 points clear of the Gunners in the Premier League title race.
Mikel Arteta’s side suffered a frustrating 1-0 defeat at home to West Ham on Saturday, with Jarrod Bowen’s header silencing the Emirates. The loss further dented Arsenal’s hopes of catching up in the title chase.
A day later, Liverpool tightened their hold on the top spot with a dominant display at the Etihad. Mohamed Salah continued his brilliant form, scoring the opener before setting up Dominik Szoboszlai for Liverpool’s second in the 37th minute. Curtis Jones had a third ruled out for offside, but the Reds’ victory sent a strong message to their rivals.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville heaped praise on Liverpool’s new boss Arne Slot while raising concerns about Arsenal’s struggles. The former Manchester United defender likened this season to Leicester City’s title-winning campaign, suggesting Arsenal had wasted a golden opportunity.
Neville criticized Arsenal’s tactical rigidity, claiming their focus on set-pieces had overshadowed their overall play. He pointed to the visible presence of their set-piece coach on the touchline as a sign of their over-reliance on dead-ball situations.
While acknowledging the injuries to key players like Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, and Kai Havertz, Neville insisted Arsenal should have still beaten West Ham.
Micah Richards added that the club may regret not signing a top striker in January, a point Neville agreed with, highlighting their failure to strengthen during the winter transfer window.
With City not at their dominant best, Neville argued that Arsenal should have been the team to step up. Despite pushing hard in previous seasons, this campaign has been a bigger letdown given Liverpool’s unexpected rise.
Arsenal, with a game in hand, will look to bounce back against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Wednesday, but their title hopes are fading fast.