Arsenal 0-0 Liverpool: Pressure, ways and a missed probability within the Premier League title race
Arsenal let a golden alternative slip on the Emirates as they had been held to a 0-0 draw by Liverpool in a Premier League contest that simmered fairly than boiled. The consequence stored Mikel Arteta’s aspect prime of the desk however denied them the possibility to open up an eight level hole. For Liverpool, champions beneath Arne Slot, it was a degree earned the arduous means, formed by resilience, tactical adjustment and a robust second half response.
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This was a match that requested questions of each side. Arsenal had the management early on, Liverpool completed stronger, and the ultimate speaking level got here not from a objective however from a second of unnecessary edge that left a bitter style.
Photograph: IMAGO
Title race alternative Arsenal didn’t seize
Arsenal began like a group conscious of what was at stake. Their press was sharp, their possession assured, and Liverpool had been penned in for lengthy spells of the primary half. The house crowd sensed this may very well be the afternoon the place the league leaders tightened their grip on the Premier League race.
But management didn’t translate into incision. Arsenal moved the ball nicely in extensive areas, they gained territory, however they lacked presence within the field. Victor Gyokeres struggled to impose himself, touching the ball solely eight occasions earlier than being changed on 64 minutes. Within the second half he was nearly nameless, with only a single contact.
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This ongoing query at centre ahead refuses to go away. Gyokeres shouldn’t be a excessive involvement striker by nature, however when the targets dry up, his total affect comes beneath scrutiny. He has scored as soon as in his final ten appearances since getting back from harm, a penalty in opposition to Everton, and that lack of risk was evident right here.
Arteta can even be reflecting on options. Kai Havertz stays sidelined and missed out once more, whereas Mikel Merino, beforehand trialled in a extra superior position, was stationed again in midfield. Arsenal have unfold their targets throughout the group this season, which has carried them a good distance, however matches like this underline how superb the margins could be on the prime.
Photograph: IMAGO
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Flashpoint mars the closing moments
The defining picture of the afternoon arrived late on and it was an unsightly one. With the clock ticking down in added time, Conor Bradley went down close to the touchline, clutching his knee and clearly in misery. Play was halted, however frustration boiled over.
Gabriel Martinelli dropped the ball onto the injured Bradley after which tried to tug him off the pitch when the Liverpool defender shuffled to remain on it. The response was on the spot. Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ibrahima Konate rushed in, pushing and shoving adopted, and tempers flared.
Bradley was ultimately stretchered off and brought down the tunnel, leaving Liverpool with contemporary harm considerations. In a tough fought sport, the actions of Martinelli didn’t symbolize a very good ending. It was a second that distracted from the soccer and handed Liverpool an ethical edge as they walked away with a degree.
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Frimpong gives an outlet on the suitable
Liverpool arrived figuring out they must endure with out the ball and strike on the counter. With Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak unavailable, Slot turned to Jeremie Frimpong in a sophisticated proper wing position.
It was a call that made sense. Frimpong’s tempo was Liverpool’s launch valve, significantly within the first half when stress was intense. He was repeatedly used because the out ball, stretching Arsenal’s again line and forcing them to retreat.
There have been promising moments. His run triggered confusion between William Saliba and David Raya, a sequence that ended with Bradley hitting the bar. Frimpong’s supply, although, didn’t at all times match his motion, and there have been occasions when his crosses discovered little assist within the field because of Liverpool’s lack of recognised forwards.
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Even so, on an evening when Liverpool wanted somebody to alleviate stress and carry them up the pitch, Frimpong stepped up and supplied a relentless risk.
Photograph: IMAGO
Second half management earns Liverpool a degree
After 25 minutes, Liverpool regarded overwhelmed. Florian Wirtz began as a false 9 however the construction left them and not using a clear focus. As Arsenal’s depth dipped, the guests discovered a foothold.
Wirtz started to drop deeper, drifting throughout midfield and linking play with Szoboszlai. Liverpool dominated possession after the break, helped by Arsenal sitting off and defending the draw. Wirtz even had a case for a penalty after a robust problem from Leandro Trossard following a neat dribble.
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Liverpool’s attacking output remained restricted, simply 0.36 anticipated targets, their lowest of the season, however the shift in management mattered. By transferring Wirtz away from an unfamiliar position, Slot restored steadiness and composure.
In the long run, it was a degree that felt extra invaluable to Liverpool than Arsenal. One aspect missed an opportunity to stretch clear, the opposite confirmed why they continue to be such awkward opponents. In a Premier League season the place each element counts, this goalless draw could but carry weight.
