Arsenal vs Liverpool LIVE: Premier League result and reaction as Mo Salah rescues a point
Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool: The points are shared at the Emirates after Salah scores a late equaliser
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Arsenal drew 2-2 with Liverpool at the Emirates on Sunday night in a tense clash at the top of the Premier League.
The Gunners made the perfect start to a vitally important match as Bukayo Saka latched on to Ben White’s long ball before cutting inside Andy Robertson and rifling a high effort past Kelleher at the near post.
Liverpool were soon back on level terms as Virgil van Dijk nodded in from Alexander-Arnold’s set-piece, but from there Arsenal dominated the rest of the opening 45 minutes, and were ahead once more as Mikel Merino powered a header in from Declan rice’s free-kick.
The second half started with bad news for Arsenal, as Gabriel was forced off with injury. It was then the away side’s turn to dominate, and their attacking paid off as Alexander-Arnold played a lovely pass into the path of Darwin Nunez, who squared it to Mohamed Salah to net the equaliser.
That goal set up a tense finish in north London, and the spoils were shared after an intriguing early season match-up at the top of the table.
Follow all the action from the Emirates with our live blog below:
Arsenal team changes
With all the injuried that Mikel Arteta has to juggle its no surprise that changes have been made to his team. There are three changes in personnel from the team that defeated Shakhtar Donetsk during the week.
Riccardo Calafiori is injured so is replaced with Jurrien Timber in the back line. With William Saliba suspended Ben White moves to centre-back as Thomas Partey drops in a right back.
In place of Saliba comes Mikel Merino who slots into the midfield but by far the biggest news is that Bukayo Saka is fit to start and takes the place of Gabriel Jesus on the right wing.
Confirmed teams: Arsenal v Liverpool
Arteta puts Thomas Partey right-back in a reshuffle for the Gunners. Jones gets the nod over Szoboszlai for the Reds.
ARS: Raya, Partey, White, Gabriel, Timber, Rice, Merino, Trossard, Saka, Martinelli, Havertz
LIV: Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Jones, Mac Allister, Salah, Nunez, Diaz
Arsenal vs Liverpool line-ups
Arsenal XI: Raya; Partey, White, Gabriel, Timber; Rice, Merino, Trossard; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
Team news
The line-ups should be released in a few minutes. We’ll soon know whether Arteta was bluffing or not.
Head-to-head
Arsenal and Liverpool have met over 200 times – anywhere between 212 and 242 depending on various criteria. The teams first met in the early 1890s, as Liverpool and ‘Woolwich Arsenal’, in Division Two.
Fast forward well over a century and they now meet at the top of the Premier League. Of the 212 supposedly official meetings, Arsenal have won 73, Liverpool have won 80, and 59 have ended as draws.
The Gunners got the better of the Reds in the league last season, drawing 1-1 at Anfield before winning 3-1 at the Emirates in February. However, Liverpool did manage to win 2-0 in the FA Cup at Anfield at the beginning of 2024.
Arsenal and Liverpool are Premier League allies – but rivalry is brewing among ‘the red cartel’
Jurgen Klopp might well recognise something in Mikel Arteta’s words this week. The Arsenal manager insisted his team would be “flying” for Sunday’s home match against Liverpool, despite several absences potentially grounding the Gunners. Such optimism – that can sometimes seem so extreme that it’s delusional – is very much in keeping with Klopp’s approach of only ever speaking positively in public. Don’t let people consider the negatives. The idea is that such assertiveness then manifests in the match itself.
This match may still see a personnel crisis manifest for Arsenal. If all injuries are confirmed, it could ensure Arteta has already lost seven of his best XI for significant games this season. For this game alone, 75 per cent of his preferred defence and 50 per cent of his ideal attack could be missing. Some losses have been partly self-inflicted, the result of red cards, but some have been the rank bad luck of injuries. The frustration is all the deeper since this was supposed to be the season Arsenal closed the fine margins to Manchester City and the title. Instead, such absences open up all manner of space for error. It’s partly why they are now four points behind Liverpool.
Arsenal and Liverpool are Premier League allies – but a rivalry is brewing
A simmering rivalry between the two clubs who have pushed Manchester City hardest in recent years is set to bubble up on Sunday when they meet at the Emirates Stadium
Arsenal trio Saka, Calafiori and Timber very uncertain to face Liverpool – Arteta
Mikel Arteta cast significant doubt over the availability of Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber for Arsenal’s crunch match against Liverpool after revealing the injured trio are “very uncertain” to play.
Saka has missed the Gunners’ last two matches with the hamstring injury he sustained on international duty with England, while Timber has been absent for three games with a muscular problem.
Calafiori added to Arteta’s woes when he suffered a knee injury in Arsenal’s 1-0 Champions League win against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.
Arsenal trio Saka, Calafiori and Timber very uncertain to face Liverpool – Arteta
Martin Odegaard and William Saliba are definitely out.
Arsenal v Liverpool team news: Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori and Diogo Jota injury latest
Arsenal face a big challenge when they play host to Liverpool in Sunday’s headline Premier League fixture with Arne Slot’s men currently top of the league after eight games.
Mikel Arteta’s team hope to get back to winning ways in the top-flight following a shock 2-0 loss to Bournemouth last time out and will bring some confidence into the match after their midweek triumph over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.
Liverpool were also victorious in Europe, beating RB Leipzig 1-0 on Wednesday but they have had one less day to recover then their opponents which could play a factor in the outcome especially as both teams are missing key players.
Arsenal v Liverpool team news: Saka, Calafiori and Jota injury latest
The teams go head-to-head in a crucial Premier League clash but injuries to key personnel may play a big role in deciding the outcome
Predicted line-ups
Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Partey, Gabriel, Kiwior; Jorginho, Rice, Merino; Sterling, Havertz, Martinelli
Liverpool XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz; Nunez
Team news
Arne Slot is without Diogo Jota, who missed the midweek match in Germany, meaning Darwin Nunez is likely to resume his duties leading the attack. Alisson and Harvey Elliott are long-term absentees. While Federico Chiesa continues to develop his match fitness after missing a large period of pre-season.
Slot must decide who plays alongside the impressive Jones, with two from Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch likely to get the nod.
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