The 21st matchday concluded with a top-of-the-table clash between leaders Arsenal and defending champions Liverpool, which ultimately failed to live up to expectations. The game was intense, but there were few chances and it ended goalless. The Reds once again proved to be a stumbling block for the Gunners, who missed the chance to pull away in the title race.
Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta made two changes from the 3-2 win at AFC Bournemouth, with Saka and Trossard starting on the wings in place of Gabriel Martinelli and Madueke. The wings were the key, as the Gunners gained the upper hand in the first half on a very slippery pitch—it was raining heavily in London—and created more chances down the wings. However, the quality of the chances was not necessarily top notch, but rather second best: Timber (10th minute), Saka from a corner (12th minute), after a great solo run (16th minute) and from 18 meters (18th minute), as well as Trossard (36th minute) and Rice (44th minute) nevertheless managed to get the fans’ pulses racing.
Liverpool, whose coach Arne Slot had Frimpong on the right wing instead of Jones after the 2-2 draw at Fulham FC, played passively, even destructively. The Reds defended largely in a deep block, sometimes with six men (!) in their own penalty area, and above all made the middle absolutely tight. The problem with this was that after winning the ball, the distances to the two or three more offensive players were simply too great.
Liverpool unlucky with the woodwork
As a result, Liverpool were virtually non-existent in attack. And yet it was the visitors who had the best chance of the first half: On a counterattack and vertical pass from Bradley, Saliba put his goalkeeper Raya in real danger with a back pass that was too sharp. The goalkeeper only managed to parry the ball away, suddenly giving Bradley a chance to follow up. However, he only managed to lift the ball onto the crossbar from the second row, before Gakpo was decisively blocked by Timber on the left side of the box (27′).
After the break, the momentum of the game changed. On the one hand, Liverpool played with more courage, attacked higher up the pitch and became more and more involved in the game, while on the other hand, the Gunners now dropped back further and waited for counterattacks. Curiously, the second half developed into a game that seemed like a mirror image of the first half – only with the roles reversed. Suddenly, the Reds were applying pressure, while Arsenal were too passive.
Injury woes on both sides
Hincapie was unlucky, having to be replaced by Lewis-Skelly after 57 minutes due to injury. Not much changed on the pitch: Liverpool had more of the play, but without any significant penetration. With the Gunners, who had not won in three league games against the champions, continuing to offer nothing in attack, the game drifted towards its conclusion without any major chances. The best chance fell to Szoboszlai, whose direct free kick in the 82nd minute went just over the bar. In stoppage time, Gabriel Jesus finally recorded the Gunners’ first shot on goal in the second half (90+1), but that was all. Consequently, the score remained 0-0, which also meant the end of Arsenal’s winning streak of seven consecutive competitive games.
The Londoners continue their FA Cup campaign on Sunday (3 p.m.) at Portsmouth FC, while Liverpool FC, who had to substitute full-back Bradley due to a knee injury in stoppage time (90+5), face Barnsley FC (8:45 p.m.) the following day, also in the FA Cup.
