Arteta can follow Graham’s Anfield blueprint to end Arsenal’s winless run
Arsenal have not won a Premier League match at Anfield for 13 games, and Mikel Arteta faces a chance to challenge the view that his side struggle to win major away fixtures. The article suggests he could draw on George Graham’s measured approach in 1989, when Arsenal won the league there with a late goal.
Arteta has described feeling overwhelmed at Anfield as an Everton player, and his Arsenal teams’ last league win there came in 2012. Injuries and doubts over several forwards add to the challenge, while Arsenal were recently knocked out of the Carabao Cup by lower-league Fleetwood. In 1989, Graham urged his players to keep the game tight before Michael Thomas scored in stoppage time to secure the title.
In short
- Arsenal have gone 13 league games without winning at Anfield.
- Arteta may take inspiration from George Graham’s 1989 title-winning tactics.
- Injuries and a recent cup defeat add to Arsenal’s challenge.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Arteta could benefit from Graham’s 1989 example: a disciplined, patient plan may help Arsenal manage the intensity of Anfield and create a chance to break their long winless run there. A victory would also answer doubts about the team’s ability to deliver in major away fixtures, even with injuries and uncertainty among the forwards.
The case against
The 1989 match offers a memorable precedent, but it cannot ensure the same outcome in a different era and under different circumstances. Arsenal’s long wait for a league win at Anfield, Arteta’s own difficult memories there, current injury concerns and recent cup defeat all suggest that a cautious blueprint alone may not overcome the challenge.
Explained simply
Anfield is Liverpool’s home ground, and Arsenal have gone 13 Premier League visits there without a win. Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, has also spoken about how intimidating the stadium felt when he played there for Everton.
The comparison is with 1989, when Arsenal manager George Graham told his players to keep the match close against Liverpool. Michael Thomas scored late on to win the game and secure the league title for Arsenal.
The story matters because a win at Anfield would end a long run without a league victory there and test the view that Arsenal struggle in major away matches. Injuries and uncertainty over some forwards are part of the challenge.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Arteta can take inspiration from George Graham to expunge painful Anfield memories”.