‘They were a joke’: Gary Neville launches scathing criticism of Arsenal after Liverpool defeat

Gary Neville has revealed how he felt “uncomfortable” watching Arsenal’s performance in the 3-0 defeat to Liverpool and has described the front line as a “joke”.

Mikel Arteta admitted he was “shocked” by the display with Diogo Jota’s double and Mohamed Salah clinching a thoroughly deserved win at the Emirates for the champions.

But Neville has labelled the result as a “dark moment” for the Gunners.

“I was alarmed,” Neville admitted on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football. “We know Arsenal are inconsistent. You don’t ordinarily think it will stand out. I was really uncomfortable with what I’ve seen. I’d usually get off, but I sat around for a few minutes, I was really uncomfortable with what I saw. Usually my anger would grow over a few days.

“I have to say, coming out of Saturday, I thought there were a few players in that front three that looked like a little mafia. There was a disconnect with the manager. He [Arteta] had that glazed-eye look.

Read more:

“The effort from that front six... They were a joke. The lack of energy. All the way through the first half I was getting more uncomfortable. Mikel Arteta, I think he would have been shocked by the lack of application.

“Liverpool won the ball back time and time again. It was a walk in the park. They never laid a finger on them. A really bad day. It was a dark moment. A cross-roads moment. I think Mikel Arteta will have come away from that game, thinking, ‘it’s me or them.’”