‘When you get through you have to score’: Mikel Arteta rues Alex Lacazette’s miss in Liverpool loss

Mikel Arteta praised Arsenal‘s improvement in the second-half of their 3-1 defeat by Liverpool on Monday night – but rued a crucial miss by Alexandre Lacazette to level the match at 2-2. 

The Gunners were dominated by the Premier League champions in the first-half but took a shock lead through Lacazette, who finished off a superb team move by finishing past Alisson.

Liverpool ran out deserved winners thanks to goals from Sadio Mane, Andy Robertson and substitute Diogo Jota – though Arteta pointed out Lacazette’s saved one-on-one just before the Reds’ third goal was a crucial moment in the match. 

Alex Lacazette missed a crucial one-on-one in Arsenal’s 3-1 defeat by Liverpool on Monday

With Arsenal losing 2-1 at the time, Mikel Arteta (above) described the miss as a major moment

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Arteta said: ‘In the second half we corrected a few things, we were much better. 

‘We had some problems still with the ball and we had the best chance in the game and when it comes to Anfield you’re not going to get 10 chances.

‘When you get through one against one against the keeper, you have to score if you want to get something out of the game.’

Lacazette (far left) had earlier given Arsenal a shock lead in the first-half at Anfield

Lacazette was visibly upset after his second-half miss when he was substituted late on

Sky pundit Roy Keane also critiqued Lacazette’s poor second-half finish and described it as a major moment in the game for Arsenal. 

The French striker was played through on goal thanks to an incisive ball from substitute Dani Ceballos but Alisson stood tall and managed to pull off the save. 

Keane said: ‘He could have taken it through, had a better touch. He should have put the ball into the back of the net, get into good habits. 

‘They are huge opportunities that you have to take. It was the middle of the goal. 

Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane also admitted Lacazette needed to score that crucial chance

‘We have to credit the goalkeeper for standing up but you don’t get many of those opportunities against Liverpool and you have to take them.’ 

While Arteta noticed the improvements from his side after the half-time break, the Spanish coach was also full of praise for Jurgen Klopp’s side and described how well the project under the German coach has worked for them.

He added: ‘It’s a tough place to come for anybody in the world. They (Liverpool) set incredible standards, they dominate every aspect of the game.

‘Taking the lead put us in a really strong position to believe more that we could get something out of the game.’