Two goals to the good inside 30 minutes, Arsenal looked on course for a statement result in the title race - but then the Anfield “jungle” awoke.
By the end, the Gunners were hanging on for dear life and thankful they were heading back to north London with a point.
This was a bonkers and pulsating game, and perhaps the best of the season so far. It had just about everything, including assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis appearing to elbow Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson at half-time.
That came after a frantic end to the first half, which Arsenal had been in control of for so long.
Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus had put them 2-0 up, but then Mohamed Salah pulled one back three minutes before the break.
Roberto Firmino eventually completed the comeback in the 87th minute and Liverpool will feel they should have won this game. Salah had missed a penalty before that and Aaron Ramsdale also made two huge saves at the death to deny him and Ibrahima Konate.
The draw means Arsenal are now six points clear at the top of the Premier League, but crucially Manchester City have a game in hand on them.
The Gunners still have to travel to the Etihad and, if City win that and their other remaining eight games, the title will come down to goal difference. City are now favourites for the title.
For 30 minutes, Arsenal were in complete control here and they played as well as they have all season.
They ran the midfield and deservedly led when Martinelli finished off a slick counter. 20 minutes later it was two as Martinelli turned provider and crossed for Jesus to head home.
Arteta will have been delighted at this point, with his side playing like champions. He had said in the build-up to this game that the atmosphere at Anfield can be like a jungle, but Arsenal had turned it into a zoo with their order and control.
Just before half-time, though, the momentum swung in a matter of minutes. First Granit Xhaka and Trent Alexander-Arnold were both booked for clashing, and then Salah struck at the back-post.
“I think a little bit of fire in a game like that there’s nothing wrong with it,” said Alexander-Arnold. “He nudged me off the ball so it’s a natural reaction to do it back. It got the crowd going.”
Chaos ensued and disorder ruled, as summed up by assistant referee Hatzidakis appearing to elbow Robertson as the teams went off at half-time. PGMOL are aware of the incident and will review the matter in full.
It set the tone for a barmy second half, one that summed up how Anfield really can be a “jungle” for games like this.
Liverpool will be disappointed they didn’t claim all three points, with Ramsdale coming to the rescue on more than one occasion for Arsenal.
Salah missed a penalty seven minutes after the break when Rob Holding had brought down Diogo Jota. It was a poor effort from the Egyptian, one that didn’t even hit the target, but twice later he was working Ramsdale.
The first came five minutes after the penalty miss, when Ramsdale stayed big to stop Salah. He did the same again to thwart Darwin Nunez and at that point, with 10 minutes to go, it looked like Arsenal would hold on.
In the end, though, it was another substitute who punished Arsenal as Roberto Firmino headed in Alexander-Arnold’s cross at the back-post. Just three minutes remained after that and surely there was no more time for drama.
In fact there was, and both Arsenal and Liverpool could have won it at the death. Ramsdale made a stunning save at full stretch to keep out Salah’s deflected strike, then somehow he clawed Konate’s effort when the goal was gaping.
Arsenal countered after that and had Martinelli’s final ball been better, Saka could well have won the game.
As it was, the Gunners had to settle for a point and their wait for a first League win at Anfield since 2012 goes on. The question is, will their wait for a first title since 2004 go on too.
