Arsenal and Liverpool both hit a hurdle in race for the title

• Published date: 15 April 2024
• Publication title: Irish Times (Dublin, Ireland)

Late goals from the substitute Leon Bailey and a 19th league strike of the season for Ollie Watkins condemned Arsenal to only their fifth loss of the season. It meant that Arsenal missed the opportunity to return to the top of the table having seen rivals Liverpool also slip up against Crystal Palace yesterday

But having lost out last season to City, Arteta, after setting the pace for most of the campaign, acknowledged that their fate is out of their hands once again.

“That’s the reality right now. We knew that this moment could come and now it’s about reacting and keep believing,” he said. “We had one of the best performances in the first half that we have had this season by far against a really good team. It should have been three or four but it didn’t happen and momentum shifted in the second half and we conceded two very poor goals. Now is the moment to stand up as a leader and a character to make yourself count. Now it’s a big test for us.”

Arsenal had conceded only four goals in their previous 11 Premier League matches but some slack defending allowed Bailey to score late on before Watkins compounded their misery with a smart finish. Having also gifted Bayern Munich two goals in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final here on Tuesday, Arteta – who revealed that Martin Ødegaard had been unable to continue due to an unspecified knock – admitted his team must improve against the German champions to have a chance in Wednesday’s second leg.

“The players are frustrated and sad,” he said. “But we have a beautiful opportunity that hasn’t happened for this club for 14 years to go to the semi-finals of the Champions League. It cannot come at a better moment.”

Dismal Liverpool

Meanwhile Jürgen Klopp said Liverpool would not win the Premier League on the evidence of their dismal first-half showing against Crystal Palace after their title hopes were hit by a first home league defeat of the season.

Liverpool, comfortably beaten by Atalanta in the Europa League on Thursday, produced another lethargic display in the first period at Anfield and were punished by Eberechi Eze’s stylish winner for Palace, who gave their survival prospects a huge lift.

Klopp’s team, who have dropped five points in the past two top-flight games, missed a procession of second-half opportunities to stage yet another...