Manchester United legend, Gary Neville has taken aim at Arsenal’s performance against Liverpool, criticizing their overly cautious style of play during Sunday’s Premier League clash at Anfield.
Neville expressed frustration over the Gunners’ tendency to pass backwards, even when opportunities were available to move the ball forward to their attacking players. He described some of Arsenal’s decisions in possession as puzzling and lacking ambition.
“I just don’t get it — it’s like they’re programmed to pass back,” Neville said during his analysis on Sky Sports. “Passing back has become a disease in the game. It’s incredible!”
Arsenal suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in what was a tightly contested Week 3 encounter between two title hopefuls. Both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances, with the breakthrough coming via a stunning free-kick from Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai.
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Despite having a strong attacking lineup, Arsenal managed just one shot on target over the 90 minutes — a statistic that raised concerns about their approach in the final third.
After the match, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta admitted his side lacked the finishing edge needed to capitalize on key moments. He also pointed to injuries to key players such as Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard as contributing factors to the team’s lackluster offensive display.
Arsenal, who are aiming for a serious Premier League title challenge this season, will be looking to bounce back quickly as they deal with both form and fitness concerns early in the campaign.
