Mikel Arteta hopes fit Arsenal squad will not repeat last season’s run-in
Such is Mikel Arteta’s attention to detail that it surely will not have escaped him that this week’s thrilling 2-2 draw in the Champions League against Bayern Munich took place one year on from another topsy-turvy game that ended with the same scoreline.
It now seems remarkable that 12 months ago the Arsenal manager was acknowledging Aaron Ramsdale’s crucial role in rescuing a point for his side against Liverpool despite leading 2-0 at half-time, with the goalkeeper producing a string of brilliant saves in stoppage time after Roberto Firmino’s late equaliser.We can only wonder how Ramsdale must have felt on the bench watching his replacement, David Raya, charging 45 yards out of his goal against Bayern in the 18th minute of the first leg at the Emirates.Until that stage, Arsenal’s vibrant young side were in complete control against a team that have badly underperformed this season in the Bundesliga and found themselves 1-0 up through Bukayo Saka’s expert finish after a mistake from Alphonso Davies.The Canada defender had also picked up a booking that rules him out of next week’s second leg and was being given a thorough working over by Saka and Ben White, whose timid shot into the hands of Manuel Neuer was described as the turning point by Arteta.The home defence still seemed gripped with stage fright 12 minutes later when Sané sped away from Jakub Kiwior and kept on running past red shirts until being brought down by William Saliba.