Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta makes new Liverpool claim as title race could be sealed sooner than expected

Mikel Arteta has credited Liverpool for continuing to win games as Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes further diminished.

The second-placed Gunners now find themselves 11 points behind the top-flight leaders the table after a 1-1 draw against the Reds’ fierce foes Everton. The Goodison Park encounter was a lacklustre affair with a dearth of chances. Leandro Trossard opened the scoring for Arsenal in the 34th minute but that was cancelled out by Iliman Ndiaye’s penalty shortly after the interval.

Liverpool now need 11 points from their final eight games to secure the Premier League crown. Arne Slot’s side travel to Fulham today hoping to take another step closer to securing a record-equalling 20th title in English history.

Arteta was adamant Everton should not have their penalty, with Miles Lewis-Skelly penalised for bringing down Jack Harrison. The Arsenal boss said: “I think we deserve more, but that's what we got at the end. A really tough place to come. What they do, they do it really well. Constantly putting the balls into the last line, dealing with direct play and second actions.

“I think we haven't conceded anything in the game, which was really positive. We were 1-0 up, had some big opportunities, ran into spaces, we didn't finalise the actions. Second half we want them to start good, start to dominate the game, they're going to be more aggressive, have more spaces. We did the opposite, we gave the ball straight to the keeper, direct play, trouble, again direct play and the referee decides to give a penalty. That changes the course of the game, which I'm here to give my opinion.

“I've seen it 15 times, there's no way, in my opinion, that's a penalty. Because if there is, then [Jake] O'Brien has to be out and Everton has to play with 10 men, that's clear. After that again, we dominated the game. We didn't get too much momentum because he's constantly breaking the play and a big part of that was down to us, because after direct play we get very cheap free-kicks away. We had two big chances to win the game, we didn't convert them, so we have to accept the point.

“Credit to Liverpool, the way they are winning their football matches. I'm talking about a reflection of what happened today, what was really relevant for the score. There's no question that apart from that they had nothing, but obviously, that changes completely the momentum and the results.”

Arsenal now turn their attention to facing Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals. Liverpool are out of Europe’s elite club competition after being eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain following a penalty shootout in the last 16.

It means that Arne Slot’s side’s sole focus is on the Premier League. They travel to Fulham after a 1-0 win over Everton in the Merseyside derby earlier this week.