Arteta calls on Arsenal to show 'big balls' after Liverpool fiasco

The Gunners boss was left in ‘shock’ by the Liverpool loss and has demanded a response ahead of a big match.

Mikel Arteta has called on his squad to respond and show ‘big balls’ after a nightmare 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool in the Premier League.

Arsenal were second-best as Diogo Jota’s brace, along with a Mohamed Salah goal, in the second-half sealed Liverpool the spoils of victory on Saturday. It’s left Arteta’s men stuck in ninth-place in the standings and seven points outside the top six.

And with a nine-point deficit to fourth-placed Chelsea ahead of the final eight league games of the season, Arsenal’s sole chance of Champions League qualification lies in winning the Europa League.

The Gunners will face Slavia Prague in the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Thursday at the Emirates.

“It is a challenge and brings an opportunity,” Arteta told Sky Sports.

“If you have courage and big balls and you represent a club like this, you have to stand up in the next game and take it.”

The Arsenal manager offered no excuses for the disappointing loss to Liverpool, which was the club’s 12th defeat of the season.

“We completely deserved to lose the game,” said Arteta.

“They were better in every department and deserved to win the game with the margin they had, or even more. I accept responsibility for the way we played today.

“I don’t have to use any excuses – that we don’t have five or six players – the standards are much higher at this football club and I have to get them to perform at that level. It was technical as well. We gave every ball away and could not put three passes together. The basics weren’t there today.

“At the moment, I am in shock. I didn’t expect that because of the way the team trained.”