February 4th 2024.
The Spaniard was ecstatic as he celebrated his team's victory over Liverpool. However, Rio Ferdinand was quick to criticize Mikel Arteta's enthusiastic display, stating that he didn't believe Arsenal had made a significant statement with their win on Sunday.
Despite facing the possibility of falling behind by eight points with a loss, the north Londoners managed to close the gap to just two points. Bukayo Saka scored the first goal, but Gabriel Magalhaes' own goal just before half-time leveled the playing field. Fortunately for Arsenal, a miscommunication between Virgil van Dijk and Alisson allowed Gabriel Martinelli to score the winning goal in the second half.
Adding to Liverpool's woes, Ibrahima Konate was shown a second yellow card, making their task even more challenging. To top it off, Leandro Trossard scored a late goal to seal the win for Arsenal. Arteta couldn't contain his excitement as he ran along the touchline, high-fiving supporters and fist-pumping the home end, reminiscent of Jurgen Klopp's celebrations.
However, Ferdinand was unimpressed with Arteta's reaction, stating that it seemed as if Arsenal had won the league. He also pointed out that their performance was not exceptional, despite the importance of the win. On his Vibe with FIVE YouTube show, Ferdinand said, "I thought Arsenal won the league the way your man was celebrating!"
When asked if he believed Arsenal were ready to challenge for the title, Ferdinand shook his head and replied, "No. No, no, no. I didn't feel that. The celebrations that I saw didn't match the outcome of what this game meant. It felt like you guys [think you] are on track to win the league now, from what I saw."
He went on to call Arsenal "deluded," stating that they should be focusing on challenging Manchester City for the title instead of worrying about Liverpool. However, he did have some praise for Gabriel Martinelli, saying that he looked like he was "on it" during the game and seemed disappointed when he was substituted.
Ferdinand also highlighted the importance of Saka and Martinelli getting back to their goal-scoring ways, as it has been a problem for Arsenal this season. He believes that if they can continue this form, Arsenal could be a dangerous team in the home stretch of the season. He also questioned whether their recent trip to Dubai has helped them regain their momentum and if they are ready to "rock and roll" in the business end of the season.
Overall, while Arteta's celebration might have been a bit excessive, Ferdinand acknowledged the potential of Arsenal's young players and their ability to turn things around in the race for the title. Time will tell if they can live up to their potential and challenge the top teams in the Premier League.
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