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Mikel Arteta sets sights on ending Arsenal's 14-year Premier League winless run at Anfield

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta insists his side have a massive opportunity to end a 14-year winless Premier League streak at Anfield. Arteta highlighted his close friendship with Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola as both teams prepare for a high-octane battle.

Arteta targets historic Anfield breakthrough

Arsenal travel to face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday seeking to break a 14-year Premier League winless streak at the stadium. The Gunners last claimed three points at the venue in 2012, enduring a 13-visit run without a league victory.

Despite that record, Mikel Arteta's side enter the fixture in strong form, having won eight of their nine opening league games.

Liverpool arrive on a five-game winning run across all competitions under manager Andoni Iraola.

Arteta rallies Arsenal stars to embrace Anfield challenge

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta urged his players to approach the fixture with total conviction. "It’s an opportunity. I came here and in many places we were 20, 22 years, 18 years without winning, and we’ve been doing all these things, so on Sunday, that’s the opportunity that we have," Arteta stated.

"It’s 14 years that we haven’t won there, so it’s time to do it."

"Going there with full conviction, that’s number one, and we’ve been very, very close in the last few years... To go there with a real purpose. To hurt them and get away from there with a victory," he added.

Relishing the tactical duel with childhood friend Iraola

Arteta expressed pride at coming up against his compatriot and former youth team-mate Iraola in a high-profile fixture. "It’s a privilege... Someone who has been your teammate, that you spent so many beautiful moments together when we were younger," Arteta explained.

"To be facing each other, to be close, massive clubs in this country, in Europe, in a big match like this, it’s a blessing."

Arteta noted both teams share aggressive pressing styles, adding: "We are both teams very aggressive in our high press, not giving any time to the opponent."

Stopping Isak and managing Anfield chaos key to victory

Addressing how to nullify Liverpool striker Alexander Isak, Arteta outlined a clear defensive directive: "By keeping him as far from the goal as possible... especially when they have space to run."

The Gunners boss stressed that escaping Liverpool's frantic pressing sequences will prove decisive in securing a positive result.

Arsenal aim to protect their title credentials in Sunday's marquee encounter.

A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.

Football Story

Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.

Areas of Expertise

Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .

Favourite Footballing Memory

Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.

My All-Time XI

It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.

Never miss a moment with Arsenal

Arteta targets historic Anfield breakthrough

Arteta rallies Arsenal stars to embrace Anfield challenge

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Relishing the tactical duel with childhood friend Iraola

Stopping Isak and managing Anfield chaos key to victory