Rooney Reflects on Liverpool as One of His Toughest Trips

Wayne Rooney has shared his candid thoughts on Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s future, Liverpool’s title credentials, and the personal emotions he felt when facing his boyhood club’s fiercest rivals at Anfield. Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, the Manchester United legend suggested this season could be a defining one for Arteta and tipped Liverpool to remain the team to beat.

Arteta Under Pressure to Deliver

Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to Liverpool, decided by Dominik Szoboszlai’s spectacular free-kick, was a setback for a side with ambitions of a first league title since 2004. Rooney believes expectations are now at their peak.

“Maybe not for Arsenal, but I think for Arteta, possibly,” Rooney said when asked if this season was now or never for the Spaniard. “I think they’ve allowed him to bring a lot of players in, spend a lot of money. I imagine the board and certainly the fans will be expecting him to win the league. So I think it could be a big year for him.”

Liverpool Tipped to Retain Edge

The former England captain was full of praise for Liverpool’s resilience and mentality, suggesting their experience gives them an advantage in the title race. “[Liverpool] are a very good team,” Rooney said. “They’ve got the know-how and the knowledge of winning the league twice over the last few years. It’s a sign of a good team when you’re winning games.”

Reflecting on Arsenal’s conservative approach at Anfield, he added: “If they were just a little bit braver and went and actually took the game a bit more to Liverpool, I think they can go and win that. I think that’s a real chance missed for Arsenal today. But then I think Liverpool have done what champions do – they stayed in the game.”

Emotional Battles at Anfield

Rooney, who began his career at Everton before moving to Manchester United, admitted Anfield was one of the toughest places he ever played. “I hated going to Anfield,” he said. “The thought of losing the game was just horrible… emotionally it just got to me quite a lot of times.”

The rivalry shaped his career and emotions. “I was an Everton fan, didn’t like Liverpool from that. Then I went to United, didn’t like Liverpool from that. So beating Liverpool was such a good feeling,” he added.

Ferguson’s Tactical Decisions

Rooney also shared how Sir Alex Ferguson managed his emotions in these fixtures. “Alex Ferguson said many times he’s not playing me at Goodison or Anfield. He could see it in me. He knew, emotionally, going back to those two grounds – especially Anfield – was tough for me.”

His words highlight Liverpool’s enduring status as one of football’s most daunting away trips, even for a player who thrived on the biggest stages.