Liverpool (Reuters)
Arsenal confirmed its worth to compete for the English Premier League title, with a brilliant performance in an exciting 1-1 draw with its host Liverpool, to lead the competition on Christmas.
Coach Mikel Arteta's team, last season's runner-up who won five of the last seven matches, but has not tasted victory in a league match at Anfield since 2012, has 40 points from 18 matches.
Liverpool ranks second with 39 points, ahead of Aston Villa on goal difference.
Arteta told the BBC: It is an incredible football match, one of the strongest matches I have witnessed in 20 years in this competition. In many moments we were on top, and in the last 20 minutes we wanted to win more, but A draw is a fair result.”
In ten of the last 14 seasons, the Christmas leaders have won the title at the end of the season. Defending champion Manchester City is in fifth place with a game in hand.
Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp said of Arsenal: “Oh my God, what a strong team they are?” The good thing is that we are a good team as well. In a match like this, falling behind by an early goal from a free kick is difficult, especially with Arsenal’s speed, but in our way during the match, which we started the second half with, we should have scored. We pass the ball instead of shooting. We did it four or five times, and this is a lesson, but overall the match is great.”
Klopp urged the fans to increase the hustle and bustle at Anfield after two unusually quiet matches at the stadium located in the Merseyside area.
Despite the crowd's response, Arsenal took an early lead when Gabriel beat Cody Jacobo, scoring with a header following a wonderful pass from captain Martin Odegaard in the fourth minute.
Arteta added, “The atmosphere was very loud from the beginning. They did everything in their power to achieve this. I would love for our players to be able to deal with that. It is not easy.”
Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah scored the equalizer in a wonderful way in the 29th minute, when he received a perfect long pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold to easily pass the Egyptian winger Oleksandr Zinchenko, before firing a powerful shot with his left hand into the net.
Salah scored his 151st goal in the Premier League, becoming the competition's tenth top scorer of all time, and the hosts had several opportunities to score the winning goal.
Liverpool demanded a penalty kick in a shot that appeared to be a clear handball on Odegaard, then Salah led a quick counterattack, passing to Alexander-Arnold, whose shot hit the crossbar.
Arsenal striker Bukayo Saka sent a shot that went wide of the goal in the final minutes, after it collided with Virgil van Dijk's back, so the two teams settled for one point, which is a good result for Manchester City.
Liverpool lost its player, Kostas Tsimikas, due to what Klopp said was a broken collarbone during the first half, after Saka collided with a defender near the touchline, which led to Klopp falling as well.
Tsimikas exited the field very cautiously with the help of the medical staff who were holding his shoulder.
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