United Kingdom:
Arsenal retaliated with two goals to save a precious 2-2 draw against Liverpool while the Gunners got closer to the qualification of the Champions League on Sunday. The Mikel Arteta team followed first-half goals from Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz in Anfield. But Gabriel Martinelli reduced the deficit before Mikel Merino attracts the equalizer of visitors. Although Merino was sent for a second reservation with 11 minutes to do, Arsenal hung on a vital point in the battle for a top five in the Premier League.
Arsenal, second, is five points away from the sixth Aston villa.
They are faced with a crucial confrontation with Newcastle, third at the Emirates stadium, next week before going to Southampton relegated the last day of the season.
With a difference in goals much higher than all their rivals among the first five, Arsenal should only need one more point to guarantee a place in the Champions League despite only one of their last six championship games.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was filed on the bench by the boss of Liverpool, Arne Slot, just a few days after the rear right of England born in Merseyside confirmed that he would leave Anfield when his contract would expire in June.
He was much expected to join Real Madrid, Alexander-Arnold was replaced by Conor Bradley.
The decision of Alexander-Arnold divided the fans of Liverpool and it was hooked by certain sections of the crowd when it arrived in the second period, with wicks accompanying each contact after its introduction.
What could have been a dramatic title decision maker was not relevant to the Champions of Liverpool after having finished their 20th English crown and equal to record two weeks ago.
Arsenal’s failure to keep the pace of Liverpool had transformed the title race into a procession, but the Gunners arrived in Anfield with much more at stake.
They still licked their injuries after being abandoned from the Champions League of this season by Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals at the second stage on Wednesday.
This 2-1 defeat had encouraged Arteta to claim that Arsenal was the best team in the competition.
Arsenal asserts their point
Arteta’s questionable boastful boastful occurred only a few days after jokingly saying that Arsenal had “won” the last two leading leagues because they had more points while finishing the finalists at Manchester City than Liverpool when they won the title of this season, although the men of Slot have always had several games to play.
With a lot to prove, Arsenal, without trophy for five years, had to hold their teeth while lining up to give Liverpool an avant-match honor on the ground.
Liverpool looked to leave him over the Northern Londoners even longer when they hit the 20th minute.
Andrew Robertson wrapped a cross to the nearby post, where Gakpo planted his head in front of David Raya from six meters.
Liverpool scored again 87 seconds later while Diaz slipped to meet the low cross of Dominik Szoboszlai with a close range finish.
Raya was at full speed to prevent the shot from Curtis Jones while Liverpool Ramper was tearing another hole in the creaky defense of Arsenal.
Liverpool fans on the Kop rubbed salt in Arteta’s injuries when they were chanting “the best team in Europe? You will laugh”.
But Arsenal had the perfect answer to the taunts, pulling one in the 47th minute when Martinelli met the crossing of Leandro Trossard with a head of look in the furthest corner.
Alisson Becker preserved Liverpool’s advance with a brilliant stop of Ben White’s shooting before diverting Martinelli’s journey shortly after.
Arteta’s men were at the top and they deserved a level rightly in the 70th minute.
Alexander-Arnold was the Fall-Guy after being mocked by his own fans.
Martin Odegaard’s powerful strike was ready by Alisson and Merino reacted the fastest with a diving head while Alexander-Arnold played the Spanish midfielder.
Merino saw the red nine minutes later, winning his walking orders for reckless mistakes on Darwin Nunez then Szoboszlai.
Robertson had a prohibited stop goal for a fault by Ibrahima Konate on Myles Lewis-Skelly when Arsenal was holding.
SMG / JC
Subjects mentioned in this article
