Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reckons Liverpool were the catalyst for his team surrendering the title race to Premier League champions Manchester City this season.
Despite sitting top for several months of the campaign, the Gunners were, eventually, pegged back and beaten to the trophy by Pep Guardiola and his star-studded squad. City have reigned supreme five times over the last six years now and could yet end up winning a historic treble this term.
As for Arsenal, though, some reflection time is needed after seeing their charge falter. And, according to Arteta, it might well have started at Anfield last month when goals from Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino inspired the Reds to a dramatic turnaround when Arsenal were 2-0 up.
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Liverpool drew that game 2-2 to kick-start their own European pursuit. However, that looks as though it will have to be in the Europa League rather joining Arsenal in the Champions League.
After his side were beaten by Nottingham Forest to hand the title to City on Saturday afternoon, a naturally dejected Arteta said: "First of all congratulations to Manchester City for winning the championship, but it is a sad day for us.
"It is my responsibility and I take it. When it is beautiful, great, but when it isn't, that is sport."
Arteta, who spent time on Merseyside during his playing days when he represented Everton, continued: "The number of goals we have given to the opponents recently has cost us, but we can't put the guilt on someone. We should have been better as a team and, in the last few weeks, we have fallen short.
"It started with what happened at Anfield. We have conceded a lot of goals. We have given 16 goals away in those matches. You cannot sustain that. There are no margins.
"We have been working for 11 months with that aim [winning the title] and we have been on top for so many days. We have competed, but we didn't have enough. Now we must heal."
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