The word ‘Anfield’ still haunts Mikel Arteta.
It was there, 12 years ago, that the Spaniard suffered a chastening experience after losing 5-1 there as an Arsenal player in February 2014.
In a subsequent interview with Spanish newspaper Marca, Arteta used the term ‘pajara’ – a Spanish phrase com monly associated with cyclists who suddenly run out of energy – to describe a sensation mirroring mental paralysis. He had been caught up in an Anfield tornado.
‘Suddenly I could only see red shirts flying around, the game is passing all over me and I cannot react,’ Arteta reflected.
‘Everyone is thinking, ‘What is he doing?’ I cannot react, emotionally, physical. I cannot cope, everything goes fast and I only had that feeling in my career once – and it was at Anfield.’
Such was the impact of that trauma that Arteta felt compelled to bring a slice of Anfield to Arsenal’s London Colney base ahead of a league meeting in November 2021.
Mikel Arteta (right) has consistently found life tough when managing away at Anfield
Going to Anfield has become something akin to a hoodoo – and it shows no signs of abating
Arteta surrounded the training pitch with enormous speakers which blared out ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ during a training session, in hope the noise would ready his players to tackle the very atmosphere he himself wilted in. It was to no avail.
The Gunners found themselves on the end of a 4-0 drubbing and Arteta on the end of mocking from critics for his alternative methods.
Five years later, Arsenal’s away day hoodoo against the Reds has shown no signs of abating.
The north London club’s league record against Liverpool away under Arteta reads: six games, three draws, three defeats. Arsenal’s most recent league victory there was in September 2012, in which Arteta played in the 2-0 victory.
Their results against Manchester City at the Etihad – their other closest title rivals in recent years – under Arteta are no better either. Seven games have resulted in five defeats and two draws.
In fact, across the 27 Premier League teams Arteta’s Arsenal have faced away from home during his seven-year reign, his lowest points-per-game ratios are against Man City (0.29) and Liverpool (0.50).
These matches are more than difficult away trips. They are a test of both Arteta’s tactical flexibility and the psycho logical resilience of his team in the face of hostility.
Andoni Iraola’s side have appeared to turn a corner in the league after beating the impressive Brighton last weekend. With a cloud of uncertainty hanging over Man City and whether their sanctions for breaching financial rules will be enacted before the season ends, Liverpool may well end up as Arsenal’s closest challengers for the title.
Beating Arsenal on Sunday, certainly, would go some way to announcing themselves as true contenders.
Arsenal are champions but they have consistently struggled away against the very best teams
So where have Arteta’s Arsenal gone wrong at Anfield and the Etihad Stadium? Well, Arteta’s tactical approach has arguably been too cautious in these fixtures for a start.
The 1-0 defeat in August 2025 against Arne Slot’s Liverpool smacked of restraint and a concession that a point would be good enough before Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning late free-kick winner.
Arsenal’s defensive organisation has long been a major strength under Arteta. He has built his Arsenal from the backline, reinforcing it with excellent back-up options before assessing the forward positions.
Yet, in these high-profile away matches, the pursuit of defensive security can come at the expense of attacking ambition.
There’s a big drop in attacking output between when Arsenal face Liverpool at Anfield under Arteta compared with when the Gunners face other league opponents on away turf across the last two seasons.
Possession drops from 56.3 to 43.2 per cent, expected goals from 1.6 to 1.1 and big chances created from 3.1 to 1.8.
The impact of the fervent Anfield atmosphere can’t be ignored, either. Ray Parlour understands this better than most, making his Arsenal debut at Anfield in January 1992 aged 18.
The Gunners legend, part of Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles side, has a word of advice for the current crop.
‘I made my debut there, I know exactly how tough it is to play there. But mentally, you’ve got to get ready,’ Parlour tells Daily Mail Sport.
‘For me, the crowd in the first 15 to 20 minutes is always very important at Anfield, because you have to silence them if you can.
Arteta’s attack routinely suffers as he seeks defensive solidity in the toughest away games
Arsenal are very strong when they score first but slow starts have proven their Achilles heel
‘You’ve got to start on the front foot, put them under pressure, and I think they can leak goals, Liverpool. To try score that first goal is always important.
‘We know defensively Arsenal are a very strong side, so if they go and get that first goal, then they might have a good afternoon there.’
Parlour raises a pertinent point. Arsenal’s slow starts at Anfield have left themselves with a mountain to climb. Of the 26 league games Arsenal won last season, they scored first in 24 of those matches. Whereas in the six away matches against Liverpool under Arteta, the Gunners have taken time to getting going.
More shots (from 27 to 30) and an increased xG (from 3.2 to 3.5) were registered in the second period compared to the first half in those games.
Arsenal need to start quicker – and be more clinical, too. At the Emirates, Arteta’s men have struck 10 goals against Liverpool, but just six at Anfield despite creating more big chances at Anfield (1.8 per away game vs 1.1 per home game).
Parlour references Arsenal’s 3-0 pummelling at Brighton last month as a key example. Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler admitted telling his players to ‘win the small battles first’ and that’s exactly what they did.
‘Win the first header, win the first tackle, win the first throw in, win the first corner,’ revealed Hurzeler when asked about his pre-match message to his players. The Gunners can use this as a lesson to overcome their bogey team.
‘Look, they’re champions. They’ve got to play in all different sort of atmospheres,’ explains Parlour.
‘There’s a lot of experienced players out there, so you know what to expect.
Arteta played in Arsenal’s last league win at Anfield – a 2-0 victory 14 years ago against Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool. He will look to end that streak as a manager on Sunday
Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour wants to see a bravery that can help navigate the storm
‘It’s going to be a tough place to play, but you’ve just got to go there and play your game. Individuals win their battles, which is very important in football.
‘You see Brighton when they turned over Arsenal, they won their battles that day, so you’ve got to make sure you get one over on the players you’re playing against.
‘And take your chances, simple as that.’
Ultimately, if Arteta is to banish the Anfield demons that have lingered for 12 years, Arsenal must arrive with the courage to impose themselves from the first whistle – and the resilience to withstand the inevitable storm. Only then can the Spaniard finally rewrite a story that has haunted him for so long.
