Mikel Arteta has blamed Arsenal’s limited squad for their difficulties in keeping pace with Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table.
Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Aston Villa saw Arsenal fall six points behind the leaders, who watched Darwin Nunez come off the bench to score twice in stoppage time to seal it A 2-0 win over Brentford earlier in the day.
That firepower off the bench was missing Arsenalwho are without Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka due to long-term injuries, with Arteta insisting his tired side simply cannot compete with a deep Liverpool detachment.
“Submarines had an impact and [Liverpool] managed to change the game,” reflected Arteta. “And on our side, it was the opposite, although after conceding two goals very close together, the danger was because I knew half the team was, that we could go downhill because we were physically exhausted.
“Suddenly, the team found another gear and just put Aston Villa in their box and went and went again, trying to find a goal which we ended up not being able to score.
“When you look at the bench, you probably say I think we’re very short.”
Arteta also raised concerns about Arsenal’s lack of options as he admitted he was “very worried” about a hamstring injury sustained by center back William Salibawho joined fellow defenders Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu on the sidelines of the Villa game.
The Artillery chief wants reinforcements and this has been announced to him to continue the January move for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko before the end of the winter window.
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