Arsenal surrendered a two-goal lead to Liverpool on Sunday to lose ground in the Premier League title race.
The Gunners were 2-0 up after 28 minutes at Anfield thanks to early goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus. But Liverpool roared back into the match via a Mohamed Salah goal before Roberto Firmino headed in a deserved equaliser at the back post in the 87th minute.
It could have been worse, too, with Salah missing a penalty and Aaron Ramsdale being forced into making two outstanding late saves to deny Salah and Ibrahima Konate.
Arsenal could have extended their lead over Manchester City to eight points, but were forced to settle for a six-point cushion. Here are the latest headlines concerning Mikel Arteta’s side.
Ramsdale’s admission
Arsenal took home a point from Liverpool thanks largely to Ramsdale, who was sharp at the end of a chaotic match to deny Salah and Konate.
The goalkeeper struggled to sum up his emotions in a post-match chat with Sky Sports, who asked him whether it was a point gained, or two lost.
"A bit of both,” he replied. “We managed to dig in at the end but we had some good chances when we come to Anfield and played it really well, but had to survive as well so I think right now it will be mixed emotions.
"Over the next few days it’ll definitely be a very good point. Maybe [it was points dropped], but I’ve just walked off the pitch and we’ve just been under pressure for 35 minutes, whatever it was, and we’ve managed to get a point away at Anfield.”
Carragher slams Xhaka
Jamie Carragher has accused Granit Xhaka was “idiotic” behaviour for picking a fight with Trent Alexander-Arnold in the first half.
Xhaka barged into the Liverpool full-back and went head-to-head with him after reacting angrily to not being awarded a free-kick for a challenge by Konate. Carragher felt it got the Anfield crowd up unnecessarily and influenced the match.
"I think it did [get Liverpool going]. It sounds silly, I’m glad Xhaka did it but I’m angry with Xhaka,” he said post-match on Sky Sports.
“I’m not an Arsenal fan but if I was an Arsenal fan, what are you doing, doing that? It’s absolutely daft. The game’s in your hands, you get involved - even leading the challenge with the arm, why do it? And now going back head-to-head with Trent riles the crowd up and it’s absolutely idiotic from Xhaka to do that.”
Arteta outlines Anfield lesson
Mikel Arteta rejected Carragher assessment of the flare-up, which saw both players booked in the first half.
But the Gunners boss does believe that his players should take something from the match: that they have to make the most of their purple patches in games.
“I don’t know if that’s the case,” he said in his post-match press conference when asked if the Xhaka incident changed the mood in the stadium.
“We had a big chance after that. If we score 3-0 maybe the crowd doesn’t get too excited. After that, they scored the goal and that changed the momentum and the hope. Still though in the second half we have to play more. That’s the lesson, stick to what we’ve done in the first half, play with our personalities and that’s the way we have to continue to play.”
