Liverpool managed to snag Arsenal following trailing 2-0. The Gunners were thus hampered in their quest for a first title in 20 years, Sunday, for the 30th day of the Premier League. Arsenal, who are now six points clear of Manchester City but with one game more and a trip to the Etihad in 17 days, this match will remain a turning point in the title race, whatever the outcome.
Liverpool is still stuck in 11th place, 12 lengths from the qualifying places for the Champions League, but has shown its ability to rise to its best level by coming close to a sensational victory. In any case, Anfield Road confirms its status as a hostile land for Londoners. Apart from qualifying on penalties for the Coupe de la Ligue in 2020, they have lost seven times and drawn three in their last 10 visits, conceding 34 goals for 12 scored.
ace Arsenal
Arsenal, however, seemed to be heading for a restrained success during most of the first period. From the eighth minute of play, a charge from Bukayo Saka, on which Virgil van Dijk served Gabriel Martinelli while trying to intercept, allowed the Brazilian to deceive Alisson closely (0-1, 8th). Twenty minutes later, Martinelli turned into a decisive passer with an absolutely perfect cross for Gabriel Jesus who victoriously pricked his head from six meters (0-2, 28th).
But the atmosphere of the match gradually tensed, like a clash between Granit Xhaka and Trent Alexander-Arnold in the 41st which earned both players a warning and following which Arsenal seemed to lose the thread.
Elbow from the linesman
In the minute that followed, on an overflow followed by a center back from Diogo Jota, Jordan Henderson deflected towards the far post where Salah gave hope to his people and woke up the stadium fallen into a certain torpor. Half-time was the scene of a surprising collision where linesman Constantine Hatzidakis appeared to nudge Scottish international full-back Andy Robertson who approached him to complain.
“He elbowed me in the throat, the linesman elbowed me in the throat!” complained the player according to the reporter for Sky, which was broadcasting the match, at the edge of the field. The game nevertheless resumed as normal and in the 54th minute the referee awarded a penalty to the Reds on which Salah missed the target for his second consecutive failure in the exercise.
Arsenal, however, never managed to regain control of the match and if Aaron Rasmdale postponed the deadline in front of Darwin Nunez (81st), Roberto Firmino, four minutes following entering the game, dropped a cross from Alexander -Arnold in goal for the equalizer (2-2, 82nd). Ramsdale’s incredible parries on a wrapped strike from Salah (90 + 4) and in front of Ibrahima Konaté who had taken over, two meters from the goals, from the chest, a header from Nunez (90 + 5), made it possible to save a point which will perhaps weigh very heavily at the end of the season.