Virgil van Dijk made a pointed remark about Arsenal’s pre-match injury concerns following Liverpool’s dramatic 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Arsenal led twice with goals from Bukayo Saka and Mikel Merino, but Liverpool fought back with Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah scoring to secure a valuable point for Arne Slot’s side.
Mikel Arteta’s squad was notably shorthanded.
William Saliba was sidelined due to suspension, while Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori missed the game with injuries.
Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber were pre-match injury doubts, and Timber ultimately left the pitch with 14 minutes to go.
Gabriel Magalhaes also exited in the second half due to an injury, leaving Arsenal with a makeshift back four of Thomas Partey, Ben White, Jakub Kiwior, and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
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Despite Arsenal’s mounting injuries, Van Dijk dismissed the notion that they were at a disadvantage, telling Sky Sports,
“Another player injured? Wow. I think they only had two injuries today, isn’t it?”
Former Arsenal star Theo Walcott responded to Van Dijk’s remarks, arguing that Arsenal’s lineup was clearly impacted.
“He’s right; Arsenal was missing many of their starting players today,” Walcott said to Sky Sports.
However, he critiqued Liverpool’s approach, saying, “This was an opportunity for Liverpool to show exactly what they’re made of. Arsenal allowed pressure but kept their shape, content with a 2-1 advantage.”
Walcott noted that Arsenal’s lack of aggressive play in the closing stages gave Liverpool the chance to equalize.
“Arsenal didn’t capitalize on their lead, and Liverpool similarly missed an opportunity to assert themselves,” he added, underlining the need for both teams to improve their finishing in critical moments.
As both Arsenal and Liverpool reflect on the match, it’s clear they will need to address these issues as they push forward in the Premier League season.
