Premier League: Liverpool net late equaliser in thrilling draw with leaders Arsenal
Roberto Firmino scored a late leveller as Liverpool held Premier League leaders Arsenal to a 2-2 draw in Sunday’s pulsating contest at Anfield.
Goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus sent the Gunners two ahead inside 28 minutes, before Mohamed Salah struck for Liverpool shortly before the break.
Salah missed a second-half penalty for the Reds, but the home side managed to level the scores in the 87th minute through Firmino, who headed past Gunners goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale at the far post.
Arsenal’s lead over second-placed Manchester City in the table is now six points, with Pep Guardiola’s side having a game in hand, while Liverpool remain eighth, 12 points behind fourth-placed Manchester United in the race to secure Champions League football for next term.
Arsenal had an early half-chance at Anfield when Martinelli ghosted past Trent Alexander-Arnold inside the Liverpool penalty box, but Reds goalkeeper Alisson Becker managed to do just about enough to put off the Gunners forward.
Liverpool’s first sighter came in the sixth minute when Cody Gakpo worked his way onto his right foot before attempting to curl one into the top corner, but the ball was always moving wide of the target.
The visitors took the lead in the eighth minute of the contest when Martinelli managed to poke the ball past Alisson after Bukayo Saka had broken towards the Liverpool box before finding Martin Odegaard, whose pass was deflected into Martinelli’s path.
Alisson had to keep out a drive from Oleksandr Zinchenko in the 12th minute, before Jesus turned a Saka cross just over from a narrow angle, with a dominant Arsenal threatening to take a two-goal lead at Anfield.
Andy Robertson should have levelled for Liverpool in the 20th minute when he broke into the Arsenal box, but the Scotland international’s low strike was just wide of the far post.
The home side were made to pay for the missed chance, as Arsenal doubled their advantage in the 28th minute, with Jesus heading an excellent Martinelli cross into the back of the net from close range.
Salah missed the target from a narrowing angle in the 34th minute, with Liverpool passing up two excellent opportunities in the first period, but the home managed to halve the deficit in the 42nd minute, shortly after tempers had flared between Granit Xhaka and Alexander-Arnold.
It was no surprise that the goal came from Salah, with the Egypt international managing to turn home from close range after Jordan Henderson had poked the ball towards the far post.
Arsenal goalkeeper Ramsdale did well to keep out an effort from Diogo Jota before Henderson fired over from the rebound, with Liverpool coming close to a leveller in stoppage time at the end of the first period.
An extraordinary incident shortly after the half-time whistle saw one of the linesmen appear to throw an elbow towards Liverpool defender Robertson, which summed up an ill-tempered first period.
Salah hit the side-netting for Liverpool early in the second half, and the home side were then awarded a penalty in the 52nd minute when Arsenal centre-back Rob Holding brought Jota to the ground when the Portuguese was running away from goal.
Salah stepped up for Liverpool, but he sent his effort wide of the post in a huge let-off for Arsenal, much to the delight of the away team’s supporters.
Ramsdale then did well to keep out a strike from Salah in the 57th minute, with the Egyptian looking to make up for the penalty miss, and it was all Liverpool heading towards the hour mark at Anfield.
Arsenal had a brilliant chance to score a third in the 74th minute when Martinelli broke down the left before delivering a low cross towards Saka, but Alisson just about managed to gather, with Robertson’s block dropping for his own goalkeeper, who then kept out Xhaka from distance.
Liverpool had a huge chance to level in the 81st minute when Darwin Nunez broke into a one-on-one situation with Ramsdale after an excellent Salah pass, but the Arsenal goalkeeper was on hand to make a brilliant save.
Gabriel headed straight at Alisson in the 85th minute, with the visitors looking for a third, but Liverpool managed to level the scores in the 87th minute when Firmino headed a cross from Alexander-Arnold into the back of the net at the far post.
Both sides went in search of a winner in the final exchanges, with Kieran Tierney firing just wide for Arsenal before Alexander-Arnold missed the crossbar from distance; Salah then fired a far-post volley over the Arsenal goal in the final exchanges, before the Liverpool attacker was denied by a stunning save from Ramsdale.
There was time for further drama in the final seconds, with Ramsdale somehow keeping out Ibrahima Konate’s effort at the far post after a header from Nunez, as the two sides settled for a share of the spoils.
Arsenal will be bidding to continue their title charge when they head to West Ham United next Sunday, while Liverpool are next in action away to Leeds United on April 17.
