Rio Ferdinand makes stance clear on criticism about Arsenal playing ‘negative’ football in loss to Liverpool at Anfield

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand believes Arsenal did not play 'negative football' against Liverpool in their Premier League clash on Sunday, August 31. The Gunners lost 1-0 to the Reds, with Dominik Szoboszlai scoring the only goal from a 30-yard free kick.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ferdinand admitted that Mikel Arteta could have been a bit more positive with his approach and the starting XI. He believes that the plan was good, but he should have started a creative player. The former defender said:

"I've seen a lot of people being quite negative about Arsenal. [People are saying] they played negative football, and that you can't win the league playing the way they played at Anfield. The team selection could have been a bit more positive [in my opinion]. You had the more creative players on the bench, I get that. But you can't tell me the way Arsenal started that game, there wasn't a [positive intent]. They were on the front foot, high press, Liverpool couldn't get out."

Ferdinand went on to claim that Liverpool were not at their best, and added:

"Liverpool looked bang average at the start. These big games where teams are going to be fighting for the title, there are small margins in these games. The biggest problem I had with Arsenal, I don't think it was with the way they played or their approach of not trying to win it. You can try and win a game in different ways. It's not just about having all those maverick players on the pitch. It's your intent, the intent in the first half was to press Liverpool high, win the ball and try to hurt them."

Ferdinand continued, saying that the mistake from Areta was the starting XI and not the tactics, and said:

"I can agree that maybe he could have been a bit positive in his team selection but I think his tactics were positive unlike what the narrative was around Arsenal. This is what happens in big games, you can't dominate L'pool at Anfield for 90 minutes. It just doesn't happen in the big games against the best teams. A freekick decided this game, I don't think it was the tactics or the negative approach that people are saying from Arteta that decided this game."

Arsenal sit third in the Premier League table, with six points from three matches. Liverpool remain the only side with a 100% win record, while Chelsea are second with seven points from three games.

Arsenal have not won at Liverpool since 2012

Arsenal's last away win against Liverpool came in 2012. Mikel Arteta, who has been the manager of the Gunners since 2019, was in the starting XI under Arsene Wenger when Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski scored in a 2-0 win.

The Gunners drew both their matches 2-2 against the Reds last season. They ultimately finished 10 points behind Arne Slot's side in the table. Thus, even wins in both games would have seen them miss out on the title by four points.

The Gunners' last major trophy was the FA Cup in the 2019/20 season, when Arteta was appointed as the manager in the middle of the season to replace Unai Emery.