FAST DOWNLOAD
Arsenal and Liverpool played out a 2-2 draw on Sunday in a fraught and fiery encounter between two of the Premier League’s leading title contenders. The Reds end the weekend having surrendered top spot to Manchester City, while the Gunners failed to close the gap on the champions following a subpar start to the 2024-25 season.
Mikel Arteta vowed for his men to come flying out of the traps, and they duly delivered on that promise when Bukayo Saka beautifully lashed in the opening goal with only nine minutes on the clock. That joy, however, proved short-lived as Virgil van Dijk headed in an equaliser another nine minutes later.
On the verge of half-time, Mikel Merino scored his first goal in Arsenal colours when he thundered a header from a Declan Rice free-kick beyond Caomhin Kelleher, with the effort allowed to stand after a desperately long check by VAR for offside.
Liverpool found it difficult to break the stubborn Gunners down, but eventually found a way through when Trent Alexander-Arnold’s searching ball found Darwin Nunez, and he cut back for Mohamed Salah to score and snatch a late point.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from the Emirates Stadium…
-
-
Getty Images SportWINNER: Ben White
Because he’s spent so much of his spell at Arsenal as a right-back, it’s easy to forget that Ben White was a damn good centre-half when he first rocked up in north London from Brighton in 2021. However, with William Saliba missing through suspension, Arteta called on the 27-year-old to play in the middle just like old times.
White’s gormless grace and unbothered attitude is as good an example that looks can be deceiving as they truly come. Without much time to get readjusted to his former role, he slotted back in seamlessly and was arguably the hosts’ best player on the day.
His now fully-formed partnership with Saka was also on display despite being separated by a new right-back, Thomas Partey, in his place. Only nine minutes had passed when White floated a delectable ball into the channel for the winger to chase, and after Saka turned Andy Robertson inside-out to find the net, he had an assist to his name.
The recent rise of Jurrien Timber had brought into question whether White would be made redundant in this system when everyone is fit, but this was a timely reminder of the quality he brings and why dropping him wouldn’t be a simple choice. Perhaps new England boss Thomas Tuchel should consider picking up the phone and making amends between White and the national team setup; it’d be daft to not even engage in such a conversation.
-
-
AFPLOSER: Gabriel Magalahes
Oh, Gabriel. It was all going so well. For little over one half of football, the imposing Brazilian had nonsense-extraordinaire Darwin Nunez completely under wraps. The trajectory of the game leant itself to his second-to-none box defending and aerial prowess.
But down he went. An off-ball collision with Nunez saw Gabriel’s knee buckle awkwardly. He tried his darnedest to run the ailment off and put it to the back of his mind, only to go down wincing again.
Arsenal’s defence was makeshift as it was already, but this took the Gunners into territory they hadn’t previously walked before. Jakub Kiwior came on in Gabriel’s place and, for the most part, actually did a half-decent impression of his superior. One long Alexander-Arnold pass over the top and the Pole’s confidence dried up completely, however.
Arteta will have everything crossed in hope that Gabriel’s problem is nothing serious having been seen nursing his leg with an icepack upon his return to the bench.
-
-
Getty ImagesWINNER: Bukayo Saka
In more positive injury news, boy were Arsenal glad to have their starboy back. Saka lit up their fine first half and, on a day that was previously dominated by Cole Palmer’s heroics across London at Chelsea, reminded the Premier League why he’s still up their with the world’s best.
It wasn’t just that Saka scored, rather the manner in which he did so and what it meant in the context of his career so far. A seasoned veteran and former world champion like Andrew Robertson, who isn’t even that far removed from his prime, will be glad to have seen the back of him.
Saka kept the Scot guessing and ground him up before lashing a fierce strike beyond Kelleher, his 50th for Arsenal in the Premier League alone and their youngest player to reach that milestone. To Saka’s credit, it’s a tad surprising he isn’t closer to the 100 club just yet.
Arteta was also far more liberal with his demands of Saka going the other way, allowing him to stand right on the last line and stretch play, a liberation when his side needed one with Martin Odegaard still on the treatment table.
-
AFPLOSER: Andy Robertson
Where do you think you’re going, Andy? Oh heavens no, that criticism in the last section was far from a throwaway comment – it’s time to talk about what’s been going on, buddy.
For the second week in a row, Robertson has been given the runaround by the swift wingers of Premier League present, and his own standing is starting to look like one of the distant past. Noni Madueke made mincemeat of the 30-year-old seven days ago, and it’s clear that Arsenal drew up a plan to similarly isolate Saka with him.
Robertson was put out of his misery early in the second half when Arne Slot called down the touchline for Kostas Tsimikas to get his shinnies on. At this rate, the Greek left-back will need to be ready from the off. This may be a mere blip and dip in form, but we see all the time players the wrong side of 30 lose their legs and that extra bit of athleticism that set them apart.
-
-
Getty Images SportWINNER: Mohamed Salah
One 30-something-year-old who isn’t showing signs of slowing down is Robertson’s team-mate Salah, who has normalised greatness, particularly at Arsenal’s expense – today’s strike was his 11th in 15 Premier League outings against the Gunners.
The hosts’ natural instinct to pack central areas with ginormous bodies meant Liverpool’s Egyptian King hardly had a sniff in dangerous areas until his 81st-minute leveller, yet he was still a thorn in Arsenal’s side all the while. Salah bounced off of Timber whenever the Dutchman tried to engage with him, wriggling away from even the most robust of tackles and lunges.
Liverpool have a decision to make with Salah’s contract set to expire at the end of the season. It would be very easy to point to his age of 32 and consider him a declining asset on the physical decline, but he’s simply not slowing down. Pay him what he wants.
-
AFPWINNER: Manchester City
Sunday’s game resulting in a draw means the real winners of the weekend are reigning champions Man City, who have robbed Liverpool of top spot and moved back into first place.
Pep Guardiola’s side have soldiered on through their own mini-injury crisis so far this season and their performances haven’t quite lived up to their billing as champions of the last four years, so they will be mightily relieved to have got enough points on the board to lead the standings once again.
In the longer term, City should take further encouragement from neither side quite doing enough to get over the top and claim victory. Arsenal, for all of their resilience and maturity, couldn’t keep Liverpool at bay, while there are still question marks over Slot’s shot-shy setup compared to that implemented by predecessor Jurgen Klopp.
City are the title favourites until they completely implode and fall apart. That much is clear with their rivals still leaving extra points on the table in this manner.
