Mikel Arteta has said Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield was the beginning of his side’s Premier League title collapse.
Arsenal’s hopes of a first Premier League win since 2004 was ended after they lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, which saw Manchester City crowned as champions.
Prior to the recent collapse the Gunners drew three straight games with Liverpool, West Ham and relegated Southampton.
Arteta’s side surrendered 2-0 leads against Liverpool and West Ham before coming from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 with Southampton at the Emirates.
After the three consecutive draws, Arsenal lost to Manchester City and Brighton.
Questioned on the key moments where the momentum shifted in the title race, Arteta said:“It started with what happened at Anfield in the 90th minute and we give it away and then you go to West Ham and you can make it 3-1 and that’s going to change.
“We have conceded a lot of goals, we have given 16 goals away in those matches, it’s a lot, you know a lot, you cannot sustain that. To win in this league you have to be exceptional at everything, because there are no margins.
“That team doesn’t give you any margins and we have extended those margins too much and that’s how we lost the league.”
Despite the disappointment of not winning the league title, Arsenal made a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2017.
