Arsenal face a crucial game against Liverpool in the title race tomorrow, knowing that a loss could end their hopes of Premier League glory this season.
Liverpool are currently five points ahead of the Gunners, meaning that an Arsenal win would go some way to closing the gap, but a home loss would extend their lead to 8 points.
There is therefore more pressure on Arsenal to gain a result, particularly given that they are up against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side in the race.
Former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has now warned Mikel Arteta that even a draw could be damaging, and his side may have to aim to win rather than exercise caution to secure a point.
Cesc Fabregas highlights danger Arsenal face against Liverpool
Speaking to BBC Planet Premier League, Fabregas highlighted his own experiences in a title-chasing Arsenal team to point out the difficulties Arteta faces tomorrow.
“I think knowing Mikel a little bit that he will want to win. It’s a big opportunity for them to just close the gap,” he stated.
“‘From my opinion, I would say that they will really go for it and they will try to close the gap as soon as possible, because now it’s starting to be the time where the Premier League gets decided. Who will be the last two or three teams at the top until the end?
“Arsenal cannot afford to drop any more points. It is early in the season but it’s where you’re starting to see or feel who the real champions are. Who are the ones who will be able to hold on until the end or not?
Cesc Fabregas draws on Arsenal experiences to issue warning
Whilst Fabregas pointed out that a draw may not be enough for Arsenal, he did praise the mentality within the team, and hinted that the young squad would likely want to attack with gusto.
“They are young, they are brave, they are emotional and they really want to go for it in every single game,” he stated of the current Arsenal squad.
“When we talk about not losing, remember the Inter Milan of Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea of Jose Mourinho… they are so experienced, they know exactly what to do and they know how to play these types of games.
“At Arsenal, and I speak from experience, any time we tried to do anything like this we were just not good enough, for the type of players we had, for the age, for the experience. We just always wanted to go for it and get the three points and at least try.
“Just to go for a draw, that means you have to play in a different way that you are not used to and we were just not good at it. We need to be honest.”
Arsenal are not attacking with the same effectiveness as they were last season, but are exerting their dominance within games, often leading to controlled, but narrow victories.
Should Arsenal set up for a draw, it seems likely that they will continue to falter in front of goal, but invite more Liverpool pressure.
Mikel Arteta’s young squad should therefore go for the win, exert their control over the game, and hope that they can find their form in front of goal in decisive moments to try and win all three points.
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