‘We need a killer’ says Arsenal legend as Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz misfire in front of goal in defeat to Liverpool

Arsenal have been urged to sign a striker after their 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the FA Cup – but Mikel Arteta has suggested they are unlikely to do so.

The Gunners were knocked out at the third round stage in front of their own fans, despite dominating both possession and shots.

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Havertz and Saka both missed huge chancesCredit: Getty

Their chances didn’t come to anything though, particularly as they fell to Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, who both left their shooting boots at home.

Watching the match from the stands, Gunners legend and deadly striker Ian Wright summed up the mood perfectly.

“We need a killer,” the former marksman wrote during the game, and the following 45 minutes proved him right as Jakub Kiwior’s own-goal and a stoppage-time strike by Luis Diaz sent the Gunners crashing out.

Darren Bent, the former England striker and Arsenal fan, also urged Arteta to bring in a new forward.

He declared: “Arsenal need a ruthless finisher badly, the problem is anyone whose got one know Arsenal are desperate so the price just keeps going up and up, someone who is desperate to score goals has the match ball today!”

The match was scoreless until the 80th minute despite a huge number of chances for both sides.

Havertz and Saka both missed golden opportunities when crosses fell to them in the box, while shots they made for themselves outside of the area were easily dealt with by Alisson Becker.

Havertz in particular had a night to forget, registering six efforts without scoring, the most by a Gunner in the FA Cup in ten years.

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Saka was left with his head in his handsCredit: Getty

Finishing the first 45 with 13 shots to Liverpool’s two, Arsenal would have had plenty of hope for the second period, but that all dripped away as more chances went begging.

The seventh top scorers in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta is clearly struggling to find solutions during a run of only one win in seven.

He now has the opportunity to do so in January, but it won’t be cheap, with hopes of landing Ivan Toney or Victor Osimhen at the moment just a distant dream.

Asked the question on every fan’s lips about the possibility of landing a striker, Arteta told talkSPORT: “I want to focus on the players we have.

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Arsenal dominated everywhere except the scoresheet

“We know what we need to do with what we are generating and when we can do something very different.

“We didn’t capitalise, again, with everything we generated and created, I think we deserved much more, to win the game.

“I think we were better than them and again we must improve to win more games because it’s a shame.

“I’m really sorry for the boys because the way they tried, the courage they showed, and the way they played against a team that’s in the best form in Europe, they deserve huge credit.”

And in an interview with beIN Sports, Arteta said: “At the moment it doesn’t look realistic [to sign a new striker].

“What my job is and what we have to do is improve our players and try to get with the players we have better results and I think at the end of the day that match normally ends up in a really good way.”

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Arsenal don’t have a stand-out scorer this season

Asked if he can pinpoint what is going wrong in attack, he added: “It’s probably the efficiency, the quality is there but maybe they’re overthinking, I don’t know.

“It will be a good moment to speak to them and get their feelings and understand how to help them and put it right.”

He said: “Probably it has (become a psychological issue). Especially after today, more than it was against Fulham or West Ham before that. That’s why I think we need to reset. This break is good. It comes in a good time.

“We’re going to as well feel how we feel and how I feel about them in difficult moments. Hopefully I can see that from other people too. When things are going well they jump on the train. Now things are difficult, let’s see where they stand.

“We haven’t capitalised. Not just today, but in the last few games as well. That’s why we’re not winning games. Merit-wise there is no question that we deserve to win the games but the results are very different.

“But when my team plays with that courage and attitude against probably the best team in Europe right now in terms of momentum what can I do but stick by them and support them?”

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