Arsenal lost away at Anfield on Sunday afternoon, and Wayne Rooney has subsequently criticised Mikel Arteta for a decision the manager made before the game.
The Gunners slumped to their first defeat of the season, courtesy of a sublime free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai with seven minutes left to play.
While the match was cagey from the outset, with both teams showing little ambition in possession, the North Londoners have faced the brunt of the criticism in the media because of the result.
Gary Neville lamented Arsenal’s approach to the game, while Rooney has focused on Arteta’s team selection, which he didn’t agree with.
Wayne Rooney cannot understand why Eberechi Eze didn’t start vs Liverpool
Arteta opted to start Gabriel Martinelli over Eberechi Eze against Liverpool.
The Spaniard went for the more pragmatic option, prioritising the Brazilian’s familiarity with his system and the defensive work he offers.
While this paid dividends on the defensive front, with the Gunners solid throughout, it came at the expense of attacking threat.
Martinelli offered very little going forward, whereas Eze looked sharp after being introduced in place of the 24-year-old in the 70th minute.
Rooney was dumbfounded by this decision from Arteta, expressing his confusion over it on his podcast.
“I don’t get why Eze didn’t start,” he said on the Wayne Rooney Show.
“He’s played for Palace this season. He’s fit and he’s probably on a high after signing for the club he was at as a boy. So, I don’t get why he didn’t start. Maybe that’s a bit more defensive-minded thinking.”
Eberechi Eze should’ve come on earlier against Liverpool
Starting Martinelli for his defensive endeavours away at Anfield is a reasonable decision to make.
The Gunners were compact and difficult to break down throughout, and using this ploy for an hour and then trying to change the game with substitutions was a smart approach that could easily have worked.
However, Martinelli was simply producing nothing in the attacking third and he had to come off earlier.
| Gabriel Martinelli’s Statistics vs Liverpool | |
| Minutes Played | 70 |
| Touches | 15 |
| Shots | 0 |
| Expected Goals | 0 |
| Key Passes | 0 |
| Accurate Passes | 6/7 (86%) |
| Touches in Opposition Box | 3 |
| Accurate Crosses | 0/1 (0%) |
Eze demonstrated more in his short cameo than Martinelli did in his 70 minutes on the pitch, showing more invention and energy in attacking areas.
The Brazil international should’ve been withdrawn 10 or 15 minutes earlier, and Eze should’ve been granted more of an opportunity to change the game.
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