Mikel Arteta stood on the touchline at Anfield not too long ago, watching his Arsenal side fight with everything they had, yet falling short. The game ended in Liverpool’s favour, just as so many games at that famous ground often do for the home side. It was not only the scoreline that worried him, but also what he had seen with his own eyes. Liverpool, already champions last season, now looked even stronger. And when Arteta faced the media after that game, he admitted what every rival manager in England had secretly been thinking. Liverpool have the strongest squad in the Premier League.
This was not empty talk, nor an attempt to flatter Arne Slot or ease pressure off his own players. Arteta, competitive as ever, spoke with honesty. He explained that Liverpool had recruited the two most decisive players available in Europe this summer, and that their squad now looked like a complete machine. Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, two of the most wanted footballers on the continent, had both ended up at Anfield in the same window. To Arteta, it felt like Liverpool had pulled off a masterstroke.
The scale of Liverpool’s transfer window still shocks people when they say the numbers out loud. The club spent over £400 million in total, breaking their own transfer record twice in the space of a few months. First, it was Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, a deal that could eventually rise to £116 million. That alone was enough to make headlines across the football world. But Liverpool did not stop there. On deadline day, they went and signed Alexander Isak from Newcastle United for £125 million. Two statements of intent, two deals that announced to everyone that Liverpool were not just defending their crown but determined to build a dynasty.
Arsenal, ironically, had also spent heavily. In fact, their net outlay was even greater than Liverpool’s. They brought in eight players to strengthen a squad that had finished second last season. But there was a difference. Arsenal spread their spending, adding depth across multiple positions. Liverpool, however, went straight for quality at the very top. They bought two players who can change games in an instant, two stars who can decide titles. Arteta recognised the difference. That is why he called Liverpool the strongest squad in the league.
It is rare to hear a rival manager admit such a thing so openly. Usually, managers play mind games, deflect praise, and insist their own side is capable of anything. But Arteta’s tone was different. He sounded like a man who had studied Liverpool closely, who had seen how Slot had managed to rebuild after Jurgen Klopp, and who knew that his own challenge had just become harder than ever.
Liverpool’s start to the season only added to his point. Three games, three wins, nine points. They had signed off before the international break with a narrow but crucial 1-0 victory over Arsenal themselves at Anfield. It was the kind of result that champions produce—efficient, disciplined, and ruthless. Wirtz had already shown flashes of brilliance, sliding passes through impossible gaps and dictating the tempo like he had been born to wear the red shirt. Isak, tall, elegant, and powerful, looked like a striker who could score 25 league goals without breaking a sweat. Together, they transformed Liverpool from champions into something even scarier.
For Arteta, the gap between his Arsenal and Liverpool is still fresh in memory. Last season, Arsenal finished ten points behind. Ten points in a title race is not small; it represents a level of consistency and ruthlessness that Arsenal could not match. And now, with Liverpool strengthening further, the mountain has grown taller. When asked how difficult it would be to stop Liverpool this season, Arteta did not deny the challenge. He said it was not only about Liverpool but about the Premier League itself. The competition, he reminded everyone, is relentless. To win the title, you must be consistent for 38 games. You must fight through injuries, suspensions, and fatigue. You must keep winning when others stumble. That, he admitted, is the real test.
Arsenal themselves are facing problems already. Their young star Bukayo Saka is still missing with a hamstring injury picked up in the 5-0 win over Leeds. Losing Saka is like losing Arsenal’s heartbeat. He brings creativity, goals, and leadership far beyond his age. Without him, Arsenal’s attack loses its spark. Meanwhile, William Saliba, the key defender, gave fans a scare when he went off early at Anfield. Arteta reassured everyone that Saliba had trained on Friday and was in contention to play against Nottingham Forest, but the worry remains. Arsenal cannot afford to lose players of that calibre if they want to keep pace with Liverpool.
All of this plays into the bigger picture. Liverpool, with their depth and their new stars, look built for the long haul. Arsenal, despite strengthening, still feel fragile when key men are missing. That is what Arteta was pointing to. Not just the strength of Liverpool’s squad, but the reality that his own team still have work to do.
The psychological side of football cannot be ignored here. When the manager of your biggest rival admits you have the strongest squad, it is both a compliment and a challenge. For Arne Slot, it is proof that his decisions in the summer were correct. He has managed to convince the Liverpool board to back him with record-breaking money, and now even rival managers acknowledge the power of his squad. For the Liverpool players, it is a confidence boost. If Arsenal, one of their biggest challengers, are already admitting how strong they are, it sends a message that Liverpool are feared.
For Arsenal’s players, however, it can cut two ways. Some will take it as motivation, a call to arms to prove their manager wrong and close the gap on Liverpool. Others may feel the pressure more heavily, aware that their manager sees Liverpool as a step ahead. How they react could define their season.
What is also fascinating is how quickly Liverpool have turned the page from the Klopp era. When Jurgen Klopp announced he was leaving, many wondered if Liverpool would collapse, if their cycle was over. Instead, under Slot, they have spent big, recruited smartly, and created a squad that might be even stronger than before. Wirtz and Isak are not just signings for today; they are players who could lead Liverpool for the next five years. It is a warning to the rest of the league that Liverpool are not going anywhere.
The fans can already feel it. Anfield buzzes with excitement when Wirtz touches the ball, when Isak runs into space, when Van Dijk still commands the defence like a general. The Kop sings louder when the team looks invincible, and right now, Liverpool look close to that level again.
Arteta’s words will not be forgotten. Rival fans will remind him if Arsenal fall behind. Liverpool fans will use them as proof of their dominance. And when the season reaches its climax, we may look back at this moment as the time when everyone accepted the truth: Liverpool are the strongest squad in England, maybe even in Europe.
But strength on paper does not always guarantee titles. Injuries, bad luck, and the relentless nature of the Premier League can derail even the strongest squads. Arsenal know this. Manchester City know this. Manchester United, Chelsea, and Spurs all know it too. Liverpool may have the strongest squad, but they must still prove it across 38 games, week after week, in stadiums big and small. That is the beauty of football—it never respects predictions fully.
For now, though, Arteta’s words echo loudly. They are both an admission and a warning. Liverpool, with Wirtz and Isak, look like a team ready to dominate. Arsenal, despite their ambition and heavy spending, still look like the challengers trying to catch up. The battle has only just begun, but the tone has been set. The champions have strengthened, the rivals are aware, and the race for the Premier League title promises to be as fierce as ever.
