Liverpool vs Arsenal: Hector Bellerin on the positives to take from Gunners’ Carabao Cup defeat

Arsenal scored five, led on several occasions and still got knocked out of the League Cup

Bellerin and Keita battle for the ball (REUTERS)

Hector Bellerin captained Arsenal against Liverpool on Wednesday night and watched his side throw away another two-goal lead, but opted to see the positives from an unforgettable evening’s action.

The right-back was making just his fourth appearance of the season as he bids to regain full form and fitness after a long-term injury.

Arsenal came from behind to lead 3-1, 4-2 and 5-4 in the Carabao Cup fourth round, but conceded a fifth themselves in stoppage time before losing on penalties at Anfield.

While some of a Gunners persuasion may have felt exasperation at being unable to hold on for victory, so soon after the same happened against Crystal Palace in the Premier League this weekend, Bellerin opted to point out the positives. That included simply being involved on such a crazy night, where enjoyment was on show and the everyday pressures of league action was forgotten.

“The tempo of the play, the goals... this is football,” he told Arsenal’s club channel.

“This is what you play football for, for nights like this. Whatever the score, today we’re gutted, but I’m sure there’s going to be nights that go in our favour.

“I have to say it was great to play this kind of game. Loads of mistakes from both sides and those are things that we’ve got to look at and analyse and you know we’ve got to get better at it.”

Bellerin acknowledges that defeat of any kind will affect players, and perhaps more so when the team was so close to winning.

But that can also be used as a future positive, he feels, and pointed to many instances in the game where his team showed they could compete.

“This is the thing, when you’ve been so close to winning and you lose at the end, it hurts. But this is what pushes you to do better in the next game.

Bellerin celebrates with Torreira after Arsenal’s initial equaliser (Getty Images)

“It’s not easy to score five goals at Anfield. There’s not many teams that can say that they’ve done that. Sure, we conceded five, we conceded a penalty and Alex’s [Oxlade-Chamberlain] goal is one of those things that you just have to sit back and take it because there’s not much you can do about things like this.

“So as I say, very gutted but very proud as a team because from the start we went for the game, we went for the win.

“We’re not scared to play anyone, we’re not scared to play anywhere and as I said, there’s loads of positives to take. Loads of negatives as well, but this is part of the way and we’re looking on to the weekend now.”

Arsenal play Wolves at home at the weekend, when Bellerin will be hoping to make his first league appearance of the season – and manager Unai Emery will be faced with the decision of who to give the captaincy to, after Granit Xhaka’s outburst last time out.