Granit Xhaka broke the golden rule of playing at Anfield by getting needlessly involved in a confrontation with Trent Alexander-Arnold, according to Gary Neville.
Xhaka clashed with Alexander-Arnold in the first half of Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday. He bumped into the Liverpool right-back before going head-to-head with him in a feisty exchange which saw both players booked.
Arsenal were 2-0 up at the time thanks to goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus, but, with the crowd behind them, Liverpool roared back through Mohamed Salah’s goal. Salah missed a penalty before Roberto Firmino headed in an 87th-minute equaliser – and it could have been worse for the Gunners had Aaron Ramsdale not kept out Salah and Ibrahima Konate at the death.
Neville believes that, in order to win at Anfield, the away side needs to keep the crowd as quiet as possible. By provoking Alexander-Arnold, Xhaka riled up the fans and made things more difficult for his side.
“Arsenal played brilliantly in the first 40 minutes and then they just got the crowd up,” Neville said on his Sky Sports podcast. “I’m not pointing directly at the Xhaka incident where he got involved but there is a rule when you play here and it didn’t help.
“There are some rules here: get through the first 25 minutes, play the ball forward and don’t let them press you early on, if the crowd are sleepy, leave it that way. Don’t wind the crowd up or give a stupid free-kick away. Don’t get involved in a fight because they want the fire here.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Do you agree with Gary Neville? Comment below.
“One team needs fire and that’s Liverpool and one team needs ice and that’s Arsenal. Arsenal got involved in fire before half-time and obviously, they conceded.”
Alexander-Arnold backed up that point in his post-match interview. “I think a little bit of fire in a game like that, there’s nothing wrong with it,” he said. “I think that shows the intensity and how both teams want to win.
“I think he’s obviously ran into me, nudged me off the ball and it’s a natural reaction. Could have got the crowd going but we matched it with the football and the intensity as well so it worked hand-in-hand.”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta brushed off the theory, telling Sky Sports: “It can happen. It can happen, they scored a goal as well, it gives them some momentum and belief so it is what it is, the lesson is on the first 35-40 minutes and the way the team played, we are capable to go to grounds like this but after we have to continue, regardless of the crowd, regardless of the result, we need to go and look for a third and a fourth.”
The Gunners remain top of the Premier League but saw their lead over Manchester City reduced to six points. Pep Guardiola’s side have a game in hand on Arsenal and host them in a crucial match on April 26.
