Arsenal miss chance to extend lead over Man City after dull draw with Liverpool

The atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium was electric before kickoff, as every member of the Arsenal squad understood the immense value of a victory. Following draws for both Man City and Aston Villa earlier in the week, the stage was perfectly set for Mikel Arteta’s men to seize control of the title race. 

The home fans prepared a fiery display of support, aiming to deliver a psychological blow to the visitors and secure three points that would have felt like gold. However, once the whistle blew, the Gunners’ performance left the crowd increasingly frustrated by a surprisingly lackluster display.

Despite the rain falling relentlessly in North London, Arsenal started with intent. Bukayo Saka, who had scored in his last 3 home games against the Reds, was the primary threat. He tormented Milos Kerkez and Alexis Mac Allister in the opening 45 minutes, yet his dangerous pullbacks found no takers. 

Liverpool, meanwhile, were missing top scorer Hugo Ekitike and stalwarts like Mo Salah, forcing Arne Slot to deploy Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai as false nines.

The most heart-stopping moment of the first half came from a defensive lapse. William Saliba played a pacy backpass that caught David Raya off-guard. The goalkeeper’s hurried clearance fell straight to Conor Bradley, whose audacious 25-yard chip crashed against the crossbar. 

Tensions boiled over shortly after when Jeremie Frimpong went down in the box. As Arsenal played on, a heated confrontation erupted between Declan Rice and Virgil van Dijk, requiring the referee to intervene as the first half ended goalless.

In the second period, the narrative shifted. Arsenal struggled to retain possession, and the ineffective Viktor Gyokeres, whose drought in open play has now reached double figures, was replaced by Gabriel Jesus. 

Controversies continued as Wirtz was denied a penalty following a challenge from Leandro Trossard, a decision upheld by VAR. The match turned physical in the closing stages when Gabriel Martinelli was booked for shoving an injured Bradley off the pitch, leading to a mass scuffle involving Ibrahima Konate.

Ultimately, no goals were found. Arsenal moved 6 points clear of City, but the "safety net" an eight-point lead would have provided was lost. For Liverpool, the result was equally bittersweet. They failed to capitalize on Aston Villa’s dropped points and remained in third place with 35 points after 21 matches.

Looking ahead, Arsenal must regain their clinical edge as they travel to face Portsmouth in the FA Cup on January 11. Meanwhile, Liverpool will turn their attention to the FA Cup for a mid-week clash against Barnsley on January 13.