Liverpool FC expert Neil Jones has given his response to the slightly over-the-top celebrations we saw from Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and some of his players in the 3-1 win over Liverpool at the weekend.
The Gunners were deserved winners in an intriguing top-of-the-table clash at the Emirates Stadium, with goals from Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard giving Arteta’s men the three points and blowing the title race wide open in the process.
Still, Arteta received some criticism from pundits for the way he reacted to the result, while Martin Odegaard was also singled out after taking photos with the club photographer on the pitch afterwards.
Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest column in the Daily Briefing, Jones called for Arsenal’s critics to cut them some slack, as he knows from watching Jurgen Klopp down the years that it’s important to be able to celebrate results and enjoy the journey, even if it’s not always obvious how important a certain victory will actually end up being.
“As someone who has covered Liverpool for 14 years, and particularly closely during Jurgen Klopp’s reign, I can speak to the importance of enjoying the journey as much as the destination,” Jones said.
“Some of the biggest celebrations I’ve seen at Liverpool games have been in the middle of a season – Aston Villa and Southampton away in 2019, Everton at home in 2018 – when we didn’t know what the future held and how important the three points would be. Nothing wrong with that, in my eyes.
“Arsenal’s players (and manager) may have milked it a bit after Sunday’s game, but it was a big win for them, and a real pressure-reliever too. It might not count for anything at the end of the season, but even if it doesn’t, they are entitled to celebrate a significant success, and it wasn’t as if they were doing so in front of the Liverpool fans or players.
“Let them celebrate, I say. And if you want to throw it back at them come the end of the season if they win nothing, then knock yourselves out!”