Liverpool must wait until Boxing Day for another chance to top the Premier League, after playing out a tense, close 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Saturday.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
Premier League (18), Anfield
December 23, 2023
Goals
Gabriel 4′
Salah 29′ (assist – Alexander-Arnold)
Urged on by Jurgen Klopp in midweek, the Anfield crowd was in fiery form as they bellowed Liverpool on hoping to shake off any nerves of a top-of-the-table tie.
But there was an early blow as Gabriel Magalhaes headed Arsenal in front within four minutes, beyond a hapless Alisson – and after a tight offside check with VAR, the setback was confirmed.
Still the Kop – and its connected stands – roared, and Mohamed Salah went close to levelling in the 14th minute after Cody Gakpo nodded on Wataru Endo‘s clipped pass.
Liverpool were somehow denied an obvious penalty as Martin Odegaard dribbled in the box like he was in the NBA, stopping Salah from going clear through on goal, with VAR David Coote reportedly letting him off due to a slip.
There was no stopping Salah’s stunning equaliser, a brilliant pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold putting the No. 11 one-on-one with the piss-poor Oleksandr Zinchenko, who was easily sidestepped as parity was restored with a brilliant finish.
A worrying shoulder injury for Kostas Tsimikas, which saw him collide with Klopp after a shove from Bukayo Saka, forced the Reds into an early change as Joe Gomez came on.
HT: Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
Liverpool kept up the momentum in the second half, encouraged by a number of mistakes at the back from Arsenal, with Zinchenko in particular struggling in possession.
But the Reds failed to turn half-chances into real openings, with Luis Diaz‘s scuffed effort wide a glaring example, while a lack of movement around him left Salah frustrated.
The midpoint of the half brought a triple change as Diaz, Gakpo and Curtis Jones all came off and Harvey Elliott, Ryan Gravenberch and Darwin Nunez came on – the latter, notably, as a left winger.
An Arsenal corner cleared led to a five-on-one counter for Liverpool, with Salah leading the charge, but as the Egyptian found the overlapping Alexander-Arnold, the right-back could only smash the bar.
That proved to be the last big chance, with both sides left to settle for a point that leaves Arsenal top of the table for Christmas.
TIA Man of the Match: Ibrahima Konate
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas (Gomez 34′); Endo, Szoboszlai, Jones (Gravenberch 68′); Salah, Diaz (Elliott 68′), Gakpo (Nunez 68′)
Subs not used: Kelleher, Quansah, Bradley, McConnell, Clark
Arsenal: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Rice, Odegaard, Havertz; Saka, Martinelli (Trossard 68′), Jesus (Nketiah 77′)
Subs not used: Ramsdale, Cedric, Kiwior, Jorginho, Elneny, Smith Rowe, Nelson
Next match: Burnley (A) – Premier League – Tuesday, December 26, 5.30pm (GMT)
