Arsenal fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with champions Liverpool.
Licking their wounds after their Champions League exit at the hands of PSG, Mikel Arteta‘s side were rocked after conceding two goals in the space of a minute.
Cody Gakpo nodded home Andy Robertson’s inch-perfect cross to open the scoring before Luis Diaz stretched to prod home Dominik Szoboszlai’s ball just seconds later.
But the visitors emerged from half-time as a different team and halved the deficit when Gabriel Martinelli steered a neat header into Alisson‘s far corner.
They then ensured a share of the spoils when Mikel Merino reacted quickest to nod home a rebound after Alisson clawed Martin Odegaard‘s powerful strike onto the post. Merino was then sent off before Robertson saw a last-gasp winner disallowed.
Mail Sport‘s LEWIS STEELE was at Anfield to rate both sets of players…
Arsenal fought back from two goals down to draw with Premier League champions Liverpool
Cody Gakpo put the Reds in front after nodding home Andy Robertson’s cross at the front post
Less than a minute later, Luis Diaz slid in to touch into the net and double the hosts’ lead
LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1)
Alisson – 6
Could do little about Arsenal’s goals, especially the second one when he made a fantastic save to tip an Odegaard shot on to the bar but could do little about the rebound.
Conor Bradley – 7.5 (Booked)
Was excellent in the first half, starting with a crunching tackle on Martinelli after 46 seconds and then some marauding runs down the right flank. Not fully fit so could only play 66 minutes.
Ibrahima Konate – 7
His distribution is getting better by the game and made some canny interceptions here but was statuesque and let Martinelli walk free and score a goal for 2-1.
Virgil van Dijk – 6
Stood up well to the challenge of Trossard in the first half but Martinelli as a No 9 after the break gave Liverpool some problems.
Andy Robertson – 7
Rolled back the years in the first half with some threatening runs down the left flank and set up Gakpo for his opener. Will have his eyes on Alexander-Arnold’s record for most assists from a defender.
Conor Bradley was excellent in the first half but wasn’t fully fit, so only played 66 minutes
Virgil van Dijk stood up well but Gabriel Martinelli as the No 9 posed him some problems
Curtis Jones started the game superbly but was almost punished for a mistake on 15 minutes
Ryan Gravenberch – 6.5
Classy performance as ever with some clever touches.
Curtis Jones – 7
Started the game extremely well with a beautiful pass to Salah. Nearly was punished for messing around with the ball in his own box on 15 minutes.
Mohamed Salah – 6
Nothing he tried came off despite the fact he kept trying. Not his day in front of goal and sometimes took one touch too many.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 7.5
Did the hard work to make it 2-0 to Liverpool in the first half and never stopped running otherwise. Another pleasing performance.
Cody Gakpo – 7
Missed some big chances in the opening stages with poor finishing but made up for it to put Liverpool 1-0 up. Quiet in the second half.
Luis Diaz – 7
In the right place at the right time to make it 2-0 and had a very pleasing performance, especially in the first half.
Dominik Szoboszlai did the hard work to make it 2-0 to Liverpool and never stopped running
Nothing Mohamed Salah tried came off despite the fact he kept trying. It just wasn’t his day
Diaz was in the right place at the right time to make it 2-0 and had a very pleasing performance
Substitutes
Alexis Mac Allister (for Gakpo, 66min) – 6
Trent Alexander-Arnold (for Bradley, 66min) – 6
Darwin Nunez (for Jones, 66min) – 5
Diogo Jota (for Diaz, 78min)
Harvey Elliott (for Gravenberch, 83min)
Not used: Caoimhin Kelleher, Wataru Endo, Jarell Quansah, Kostas Tsimikas.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was loudly booed by Liverpool supporters after coming on
Manager
Arne Slot – 6.5
First half was one of the best of the season. Second half was one of the worst.
ARSENAL (4-3-3)
David Raya – 6
Could do nothing about Liverpool’s goals and made some other big saves to keep his side in the contest. Distribution was poor.
Ben White – 5
Had a tough afternoon up against Gakpo and Diaz who often interchanged positions.
William Saliba – 6
Switched off and allowed Gakpo to sneak free and make it 1-0. Better after the break.
Jakub Kiwior – 7
Had a pleasing performance up against Liverpool’s multiple forwards, especially covering for Lewis-Skelly to double up on Salah.
Myles Lewis-Skelly – 6 (Booked)
Some nice touches and stood up to Salah well.
Ben White endured a tough afternoon up against Gakpo and Diaz who switched positions
William Saliba switched off and allowed Gakpo to sneak free and make it 1-0 in the first half
Martin Odegaard delivered a brilliant performance and could have won the game at the death
Martin Odegaard – 7.5
Could have won the game in the 95th minute but pulled a shot wide. A brilliant performance otherwise, though, especially in the second half.
Thomas Partey – 6
Fumbled his lines after 15 minutes when presented with a golden opportunity in the penalty area.
Mikel Merino – 6 (Sent off)
Booked early on for a nasty challenge on Bradley then was shown a second yellow after the break for two fouls in the same incident. His goal, though, was like a typical No 9 – in the right place at the right time with a clinical finish.
Bukayo Saka – 7.5
Could have opened the scoring with the first set-piece of the game – a supremely clever one at that – but fluffed his lines and fired wide. Gave Robertson a tricky test all afternoon.
Leandro Trossard – 7
Like Partey, he should have scored after 15 minutes. Had some nice moments otherwise, though, such as the cross for Martinelli’s goal.
Gabriel Martinelli – 7.5
A sumptuous header for 2-1 and put in a great shift as a No 9 in the second half. Poor in the first 45 minutes, though.
Merino was shown a red card after two bookings but took his goal like a proper striker
Bukayo Saka gave Robertson a tricky test all afternoon but fluffed his lines from a set piece
Martinelli’s header for 2-1 was sumptuous and he put in a great shift as Arsenal’s No 9
Substitutes
Riccardo Calafiori (for White, 78min)
Kieran Tierney (for Trossard, 78min)
Oleksandr Zinchenko (for Saka, 88min)
Not used: Neto, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, Jack Henry-Francis, Ethan Nwaneri, Raheem Sterling, Jurrien Timber.
Manager
Mikel Arteta – 7
His tactical tweaks and substitutions helped Arsenal fight back and then see out a draw.
