Micah Richards believes Arsenal will be “kicking themselves” for failing to strengthen their squad in January after watching Liverpool extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.
The Gunners suffered a major setback in their title pursuit over the weekend, losing 1-0 to a resilient West Ham side at the Emirates.
With Liverpool then dispatching Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad, Mikel Arteta’s men now find themselves trailing by eight points with just 11 games left in the season.
Liverpool’s victory was spearheaded by Mohamed Salah, who opened the scoring before setting up Dominik Szoboszlai for a second. City were spared further embarrassment when Curtis Jones’ goal was ruled out by VAR, but it was a statement win for Arne Slot’s men.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Richards, a lifelong Arsenal fan, lamented his club’s lack of business in the winter transfer window, particularly their failure to bring in a proven goal-scorer.
“If Arsenal had a fully fit squad, then maybe… but no Saka, losing Havertz… they just don’t have anyone up top,” Richards said. “They’ll be kicking themselves that they didn’t bring anyone in January. Of course, you don’t know you’re going to get injuries, but this Liverpool team can adapt.”
Richards praised Liverpool’s ability to adjust their style and grind out wins, calling them “sensational” in their approach.
He also highlighted the crucial role of Virgil van Dijk, crediting the Dutchman’s defensive stability for Liverpool’s dominance.
“Van Dijk was injured when they didn’t compete, but when you’ve got someone like that back, it makes a massive difference. You can just see the confidence oozing out of them.”
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane echoed Richards’ sentiment, agreeing that Arsenal may regret their lack of action in the transfer market.
“We keep saying that Arsenal need to do better, but you need other teams to step up as well. They’re obviously missing that striker, but it can’t just be on Arsenal to challenge every time.”
With Liverpool now firmly in control of the title race, Arsenal’s lack of depth up front could prove to be their ultimate downfall.