The connection between the Arsenal fans and the players after Saturday evening’s defeat to Liverpool was pleasing to see, especially when you compare it to the reaction of the Manchester United faithful.
Arsenal players immediately thanked the fans for their support after the final whistle at Anfield and were met with appreciation by the crowd who had travelled to the game
Whilst Manchester United players were met with a chorus of boos after their 4-1 defeat to Watford, which epitomised the toxic atmosphere currently surrounding the club.
The difference in reactions highlighted the club togetherness currently seen at Arsenal which hasn’t been a theme in recent years, and it is certainly a notion that Mikel Arteta deserves credit for.
The Gunners have a terrible record at Anfield which was continued on Saturday evening. The north London side have only conceded four goals or more in a game eleven times in the Premier League, with six of these coming at the Merseyside ground.
But the fans recognised the poor record and what Arteta’s young squad was coming up against, which has created a real positive atmosphere surrounding the club.
Over the last few years, the squad would usually fall victim to discontent by the away fans after receiving a hammering away from home, but it was the complete opposite on Saturday.
The fact that the club had just come off a 10-match unbeaten run certainly helped play a part, and the defeat against Liverpool was not due to the Arsenal players putting in lacklustre displays.
It is clear that the team is still in a phase of rebuilding and are not yet at the level to compete with the best sides in the league, so a defeat to a title challenger is certainly excusable.
Out of the four defeats we have fallen to this season, three of these have been to the main title challengers in the form of Man City, Liverpool, and Chelsea.
The new signings have come in and made a real impact on the squad, which has been particularly pleasing for the fans. It's a big reason why there seems to be a much stronger connection between the two parties than what we are used to.
But more importantly, Arteta has been getting results and a current fight for the Champions League places proves this, leaving the fans growing respect.
The club is certainly going in the right direction and the fan's reaction to the Liverpool defeat backs it up even more.
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