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Liverpool was saved by Mohamed Salah, whose late equaliser against title rivals Arsenal on Sunday resulted in a thrilling 2-2 draw.
Mohamed Salah saved Liverpool in Sunday’s thrilling 2-2 draw with title rivals Arsenal thanks to his late equaliser. At the Emirates Stadium, Salah’s goal with nine minutes left prevented Arne Slot’s team from losing for the second time this season. After Bukayo Saka’s early goal put Liverpool behind, Mikel Merino gave Arsenal the lead again before halftime, despite Virgil van Dijk’s equalisation. With defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber both substituted out in the second half, Arsenal’s recent spate of injuries helped Salah score his eighth goal in 13 games across all competitions this season. After finishing the weekend atop the Premier League, Manchester City emerged victorious on Sunday thanks to the draw in north London.
After defeating Southampton 1-0 on Saturday, unbeaten City is now one point clear of second-place Liverpool, while third-place Arsenal is five points behind the leaders.
Slot, who began his tenure at Anfield with 12 wins from 13 games across all competitions, replaced Jurgen Klopp in the offseason, and it was only the second time Liverpool had lost.
Liverpool, however, will be pleased with the point after displaying remarkable perseverance to overcome a rival title contender twice.
Following the defensive injuries that exposed them to death, Arsenal was left to lick their wounds.
Riccardo Calafiori was already out due to an injury sustained against Shakhtar Donetsk in the middle of the week, and William Saliba was suspended after being sent off in last weekend’s defeat at Bournemouth.
In a significant blow to their hopes of winning a first championship since 2004, Mikel Arteta’s team has now gone two league games without a victory, leaving them with just three wins in their last seven top-flight games.
Saka had given Arsenal the ideal start in the ninth minute after missing two games due to injury.
Saka surged down the right flank after Ben White’s brilliant long pass, then he skilfully cut back into the Liverpool area, leaving Andrew Robertson in his wake as he smashed a hard close-range shot into the net’s roof.
When Merino slackly allowed the ball to go to Salah, who shot narrowly wide from the edge of the area, he almost gave Liverpool an instant equaliser.
Because of their set-piece coach Nicolas Jover, Arsenal has been dead ball masters for the past two seasons, but for once they were exposed when Liverpool tied the score in the eighteenth minute.
Van Dijk got in front of Thomas Partey as the Dutch defender stooped to head home from close range after Luis Diaz beat Kai Havertz to flick on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner.
However, Arsenal’s skill with set pieces allowed them to take the lead again in the 43rd minute.
Merino was ideally positioned to hammer his header past Caoimhin Kelleher from six yards out after Declan Rice’s tease free-kick arrowed into the Liverpool area.
When the Spain midfielder celebrated his first goal since joining from Real Sociedad during the offseason, a protracted VAR review revealed Merino was just onside.
In the closing seconds of an exciting first half, Arsenal keeper David Raya lunged to his right to block Alexis Mac Allister’s header.
Early in the second half, Gabriel hobbled off with a knee injury following a challenge from Darwin Nunez, further undermining Arteta’s already improvised defence.
Arsenal took a more cautious stance without their first-choice centre-back, and Raya received a time-wasting booking with more than 20 minutes remaining.
However, as their defensive problems reached a breaking point and gave Liverpool a lifeline, the Gunners lost Timber to an injury in the closing minutes.
With nine minutes remaining, Alexander-Arnold’s lofted pass sent Nunez past teenage substitute Myles Lewis-Skelly, mercilessly exposing Arsenal’s undermanned rearguard.
As Arsenal collapsed to the ground in exasperation, Nunez slipped in the unmarked Salah, who slotted home.