Arteta's Moment of Truth - Rooney

Wayne Rooney believes this could be a make-or-break season for Arsenal's manager, Mikel Arteta, with expectations mounting for him to secure a trophy.
Arsenal suffered a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday, with Dominik Szoboszlai delivering a spectacular free-kick.
When questioned on The Wayne Rooney Show about whether this is a do-or-die moment for Arsenal, Rooney responded: "Perhaps not for the club itself, but for Arteta, quite possibly.
"He’s been given the freedom to sign numerous players and invest heavily. I suspect the board, and certainly the supporters, are anticipating a Premier League title. This could be a defining year for him."
However, the former England and Manchester United star considers Liverpool the frontrunners to claim the Premier League crown this season.
"Liverpool are an exceptional side," Rooney noted. "They possess the experience and expertise of securing the title twice in recent years. Their ability to grind out victories is the hallmark of a great team."
Rooney suggested that Arsenal could have been bolder at Anfield instead of adopting a cautious approach, playing "not to lose."
"Had they shown a touch more courage and taken the game to Liverpool, I believe they could have won," he remarked.
"Arsenal missed a golden opportunity today. But Liverpool did what champions do they stayed resilient and seized the moment."
The ex-England captain shared these insights on his new podcast, The Wayne Rooney Show, broadcast twice weekly on BBC Sounds, YouTube, and iPlayer.

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'Anfield Was My Nightmare'

Rooney, a Liverpool native who launched his career at Everton, admitted he "dreaded" matches at Anfield during his Manchester United days, as the prospect of defeat was "excruciating."
"You’re imagining the thrill of victory and how incredible it would feel. It’s the same with the Chelsea Champions League final winning brings an unmatched high, but the fear of losing at Anfield, emotionally, it overwhelmed me at times," he confessed.
Rooney emphasized that triumphing over Liverpool was always "immensely satisfying."
"As an Everton supporter, I never cared for Liverpool. Then, joining United, that sentiment only grew. Beating them was such a rush," he said.
"I think we could have faced them in the [2008] Champions League final. It was Liverpool versus Chelsea in the semi-final, and I was relieved it wasn’t Liverpool in the final. Facing them there would have been overwhelming for me."
Rooney recalled how his Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, would often bench him for matches at Goodison Park or Anfield.
"Ferguson told me several times he wouldn’t play me at Goodison or Anfield. He could sense it in me. He knew those grounds, especially Anfield, were emotionally challenging for me," Rooney explained.