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17 hours ago
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Point proven? Well, not exactly. Just when Arsenal looked ready to lay down a real marker for their title aspirations, a rejuvenated Liverpool side that has been through the wringer since they were crowned champions last season proved the Gunners are still far from the finished article.
It could have been even worse for Mikel Arteta’s side if Liverpool had been awarded one of two potential penalties or if Conor Bradley’s brilliant chip had not struck the crossbar in the first half. Arne Slot will be delighted with the way his much-maligned defence coped with Arsenal’s threat before the break.
But the fact that Arsenal didn’t even manage a shot on target in the second half until a Gabriel Jesus header in injury time will be of huge concern for Arteta as Viktor Gyökeres put in another ineffective display up front. They may be six points clear of Manchester City and Aston Villa at the top of the table but it promises to be a nerve-wracking few months in these parts.
Arteta had called on the Arsenal supporters to “make the difference” as they attempted to take advantage of City and Villa’s slip-ups on Wednesday night. Even the torrential rain before kick-off caused by Storm Goretti could dampen the feeling of optimism as the home fans held up a mosaic of red and white plastic bags when the teams emerged.
Arsenal reverted to their first-choice attack as Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard returned on the flanks, while there was again no place on the bench for Kai Havertz or Ethan Nwaneri. Slot’s solution to the continued absence of Hugo Ekitiké was to select Mr Versatile Dominik Szoboszlai as a false 9 with Florian Wirtz in support.
Both were largely restricted to defensive duties in the opening exchanges as Arsenal’s midfield seized control. It didn’t take Saka very long to realise that he had the beating of Milos Kerkez, who was perhaps a surprise selection at left-back ahead of the more experienced Andy Robertson. One mesmerising run that left the Hungary defender and Alexis Mac Allister in his slipstream should have resulted in the opening goal but Martín Zubimendi was just the wrong side of his cutback. Saka then tried his luck from just outside the area with a shot that was parried away by Alisson.
Liverpool slowly began to establish a foothold in the game without looking very threatening, although it was the visitors who came closest to breaking the deadlock after an uncharacteristic mistake from William Saliba that was more down to being too casual than any nerves.
The France defender had been alert to the danger when Bradley tried to play in Jeremie Frimpong but his back pass to David Raya took the goalkeeper by surprise and he could only play the ball straight into Bradley’s path. His chip looked destined for the empty net but struck the crossbar and Cody Gakpo’s follow-up was blocked.
The half’s moment of controversy arrived 10 minutes before the break when Frimpong went down awkwardly under pressure from Piero Hincapié in the area, although it was hard to tell if there was any significant contact. He stayed down as play continued, with Trossard seeing his shot deflected wide at the other end.
Liverpool’s players immediately surrounded referee Anthony Taylor, with Declan Rice and Virgil van Dijk exchanging some choice words. It was Arsenal who ended the half with more intent when Liverpool failed to clear Jurrién Timber’s cross but Rice saw his shot smothered gratefully by Alisson.
The visiting supporters had reason to feel hard done by again at the start of the second half when Wirtz jinked his way past three players into the area and was about to shoot when Trossard intervened with a clumsy challenge that could easily have resulted in a penalty. Luckily for Arsenal, Taylor and the video assistant referee felt otherwise.
Despite the increased urgency in the stands, the hosts were struggling to match the intensity that blew Villa away in the second half of their last home fixture with four goals. There were huge groans when Zubimendi got in the way of a Trossard cross meant for Saka before Hincapié was forced off with an injury.
Szoboszlai was given an opportunity to replicate his free-kick from Liverpool’s win against Arsenal back in August but this time his effort sailed high and wide to much derision. Yet it was Liverpool who looked more likely to break the deadlock as Frimpong broke free but could not pick out the waiting Wirtz.
The arrival of Gabriel Jesus from the bench for the ineffective Gyökeres, who has now gone 11 games without scoring from open play, was greeted with cheers from the home supporters desperate for their side to find a winner.
The closest they came was when Noni Madueke fizzed a cross in from the right but there was no one there to apply the finishing touch. Bradley went off on a stretcher in injury time after Gabriel Martinelli tried to push him off the pitch as the tempers almost spilled over at the end.
