The pundit feels it is suicide to play out from the back at Anfield (Pictures: Getty)
David Raya says Arsenal will not deviate from their philosophy when they travel to Anfield to face Liverpool next week and has no qualms about playing out from the back – despite Gary Nevile calling the approach ‘ridiculous’ on Sunday.
Liverpool were held to a 0-0 draw by Manchester United at the weekend, with Neville fuming at the approach taken by his old club in the early exchanges as they tried to build up from Andre Onana.
United’s defenders were swarmed as soon as the ball was played short, with 57,000 fans in the newly expanded Anfield stadium roaring them on, and the visitors seemed to gain little advantage from the tactic.
‘It might sound a little bit 1980s, 1990s but you don’t do that [play out from the back] in any decade at Anfield, it’s ridiculous,’ said Neville on commentary for Sky Sports.
‘Look at them, there’s six Liverpool players on the edge of the box waiting for them to play it. Go on then, what are they doing.’
Neville even went on to label the approach ‘madness’, but Arsenal certainly won’t be listening to the United legend or adjusting their style with Raya adamant he is happy to face the cauldron at Anfield and play through Liverpool’s high press.
Asked about the prospect of playing out from the back in a venue as intimidating as Anfield, Raya told reporters: ‘I don’t think it is hard, it is just the way the gaffer wants to play.
Onana was closed down in double quick time at Anfield (Picture: Getty)
‘I am there to help the team as much possible. If the gaffer wants me to play the way I am playing, it is the way it is.
‘The most important thing is to win games and win the way the gaffer wants to win.
‘Of course it is a massive game for any of the top teams playing against Liverpool away from home – with Anfield and the atmosphere, like you said before.
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‘I think comparing the last time I played there with Brentford and what we are going to face on Saturday is completely different.
‘I think obviously they [the fans] will be more on top of us now, especially as we are fighting to be on top of the Premier League.
‘It is going to be very, very important but we don’t have to focus on the atmosphere. We have to focus on ourselves and the football, and win the match.
‘I think pressure is what you put on yourself. I don’t think [about] the pressure from the outside, because I don’t listen to the outside world.’
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