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Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta has admitted that he was quite hurt after Liverpool were crowned Premier League champions. The Reds were crowned English champions for the 20th time after their 5-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday (April 27).
Liverpool were crowned champions with 82 points from 34 games. They are 15 points clear of second-placed Arsenal, who have acquired 67 points from 34 games. This is the third consecutive time the Gunners finished second on the league table, after losing the title to Manchester City the last two times. The North London club's previous Premier League title came over two decades ago in the 2003-04 season.
In his latest interview, Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta admitted that it hurt him to lose the title to Liverpool this season. He said (via Daily Mail):
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"Yeah, big time. It was in my tummy [that it hurt], yeah. I understand that it's a team that is being more consistent, and it has a lot of ingredients that you need to win it, but it's very painful, yeah. I take the opportunity as well to congratulate Liverpool and what they've done, the management they've done, how consistent they've been."
Arteta added:
"I think they fully deserve to win. They were the better team, they had so many attributes, they had a consistent squad available. And we're going to try again. But up to that moment next season, now we're going to have to finish the season very strong."
Arsenal can still end up having a very successful season as they are contenders to win the UEFA Champions League. They lost 1-0 to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the semi-final first leg at home. However, the Gunners will hope to turn things around in the second leg on May 7.
Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta admits to having watched a part of Liverpool's title-winning celebrations
In his aforementioned interview (h/t Daily Mail), Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta also shared that he watched a part of Liverpool's title-winning celebrations.
"'[I watched] a small part of it (Liverpool's celebrations). It can be part of your motivation, that's not the biggest part. My motivations are much more focused on other aspects than that one, but it hurts to watch it, that's for sure," Arteta said.
The Merseysiders celebrated their second Premier League title win at Anfield with their home fans after the thumping 5-1 victory over Spurs on Sunday. Their last title came in the 2019-20 season under former coach Jurgen Klopp.
However, they still have four fixtures left this season, including one against Arsenal (May 11). Apart from that, the Reds will next face Chelsea (May 4), Brighton & Hove Albion (May 19), and Crystal Palace (May 15).
