As far as tests of Arsenal’s title credentials go, a trip to Anfield is right up there.
This Arsenal team is a different animal though, and Mikel Arteta’s side stepped onto the hallowed Merseyside turf with a real swagger to their play, duly taking the lead inside 10 minutes when a Virgil van Dijk blunder allowed Gabriel Martinelli to poke home and settle an early Arsenal nerves.
If that early goal settled the nerves, then Gabriel Jesus’ strike shortly before the half hour-mark surely eradicated them all together.
Martinelli was causing Trent Alexander-Arnold a serious headache down the left, and it was the Brazilian duo combining to double Arsenal’s advantage as Martinelli’s cross was floated perfectly onto the head of the unmarked Jesus who made no mistake from six yards.
For all Arsenal’s good work though, they were put under the cosh before the break and eventually cracked when Mo Salah reacted quickest in the box to halve the deficit and fire up a raucous Anfield crowd.
Following a half-time incident between Robertson and the assistant referee, the Anfield crowd needed no further encouragement, but Rob Holding gave them a massive ‘come on’ minutes into the second half when he felled Diogo Jota in the box.
Fortunately for the Gunners, and Holding, Salah missed from the spot for the second time in succession as Arsenal were handed a timely reprieve. That miss didn’t deter the Reds though, who kept up their incessant pressure on the Arsenal goal.
Jürgen Klopp threw caution to the wind as the game ebbed away, withdrawing his anchorman Fabinho in place of yet another frontman, and Roberto Firmino proved key to Liverpool’s revival as Alexander-Arnold, who had a nightmare afternoon, popped up with a massive moment to plant a cross onto the head of the Brazilian.
It’s sure to be a massive kick in the teeth for Arsenal, but with a healthy six point lead atop of the league, the title remains in their hands. As for Liverpool, it’s a mightily impressive comeback, though it does little to boost their European chase.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal)