Arsenal -Manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that his players will give the newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool a guard of honor for their collision in Anfield on Sunday.
The Gunners had been the best challengers of Liverpool this season, but go in the game 15 points behind the men of Arne Slot, who secured the title at the end of last month with four more rounds of competitions.
“We will give Liverpool an honorary guard,” Arteta told reporters on Friday. “They deserve it. They have been the better team, they have been the most consistent. That is the sport; If someone is better, you have to applaud and accept and try to reach that level. '
This gesture follows a similar by Chelsea, who formed an honorary guard for Liverpool on Stamford Bridge last weekend before beating the Champions 3-1.
Despite the recognition of the domestic dominance of Liverpool, Arteta doubled his earlier claim that Arsenal had been the best team in this season's Champions League, despite the loss of home and away in their semi-final defeat by Paris Saint-Germain.
“One hundred percent,” he said. 'I look back, I look at all the statistics.
'And if you look at the important statistics that you normally give the best platform to win football matches, it is crystal clear who was better.
'But it's not about the winning probability, or what you have managed; It is actually about letting it happen and let it count. '
The European Campaign from Arsenal contained a record-breaking 7-1 away victory over PSV Eindhoven in the Tour of 16 and a 5-1 Commander Total victory against 15-way Champions Real Madrid in the quarterfinals.
However, they were eliminated by PSG on Wednesday after a 3-1 total defeat.
Arteta's comments have received criticism of some circles. Former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy labeled him 'misled' because he claimed that Arsenal was superior over both legs against PSG.
In the meantime, PSG manager Luis Enrique did not agree with the assessment of Arteta either.
After starting the season with elevated ambitions of winning large silverware, the primary goal of Arsenal for the rest of the campaign is now to ensure that they are eligible for the next edition of the Champions League.
They go to the matches of this weekend in second place, six points above Nottingham Forest in sixth place.
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