Arteta can take inspiration from George Graham to expunge painful Anfield memories

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I only had that feeling in my career once, and it was at Anfield.”Given Arteta’s record at Liverpool, Sunday’s showdown with his childhood friend Andoni Iraola – five days after Arsenal were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Fleetwood – could be expected to fill him with dread. They have not won at Anfield for 13 league matches, equalling the club’s worst run at Liverpool.

Arsenal’s one victory at Liverpool in the interim came in the League Cup on penalties in 2020 on Arteta’s second visit as a manager.The Spaniard tried to prepare his players for a trip to Anfield in November 2021 by playing You’ll Never Walk Alone over the training ground speakers but that ended in a 4-0 defeat. Bukayo Saka is out with a thigh injury, there are concerns over Noni Madueke’s ankle and Arsenal’s failed appeal over Max Dowman’s red card rules out the teenager for three matches.26 May 1989: the Arsenal manager George Graham hugs Alan Smith after they won 2-0 at Anfield, clinching the league title in the most dramatic circumstances.

He can take inspiration from one of the most famous nights in Arsenal’s history 37 years ago when George Graham’s side arrived at Anfield needing a 2-0 victory to be champions.“I told my players to keep things tight in the first half – it was imperative we did not concede,” said Graham in an interview to mark the 20th anniversary of that dramatic finale to the 1988-89 season, when Michael Thomas scored in stoppage time to end Arsenal’s 18-year wait for the title. Arteta has revived that tradition since he took over in December 2019, recording 1-0 victories 32 times in the Premier League, more than any club apart from Everton.skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotionArsenal scored their first set-piece goal of the season in a routine 2-0 win at home to Everton last Saturday and targeting Liverpool’s weakness from set plays while keeping things tight at the other end could be the most effective tactic against a team who have been finding their feet under Iraola in recent weeks.“Collectively, we acknowledge the importance of defending,” said Arteta last year when asked about comparisons between his team and Graham’s.