Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal: Roberto Firmino scores late equaliser to hurt Gunners’ title bid

Author: BBC Sport

Roberto Firmino’s scored a dramatic late equaliser as Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League was cut to six points in an incident-packed encounter with Liverpool at Anfield.

The Gunners were in cruise control with a two-goal lead inside the first half-hour as they went in search for their first win at Liverpool since 2012, but were left bitterly disappointed as they paid the price for losing their discipline at times.

Gabriel Martinelli pounced on sloppy Liverpool defending to put Arsenal ahead after eight minutes then Gabriel Jesus rose unmarked between Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson to head home at the Kop End.

Liverpool sparked into life after a flashpoint between Granit Xhaka and Trent Alexander-Arnold late in the first half, Mohamed Salah scoring at the far post just before the break to set up a thriller.

There was a bizarre incident at the end of the first half when referee’s assistant Constantine Hatzidakis appeared to elbow Liverpool defender Robertson as the teams left the field.

In a dramatic second half, Salah missed his second successive penalty when he shot wide after Rob Holding fouled Diogo Jota before Firmino rose at the far post to head home Alexander-Arnold’s cross with three minutes left.

In a frantic climax, Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale – who had already saved crucially from Darwin Nunez – produced two incredible stops from Salah and and Ibrahima Konate as Mikel Arteta’s pace-setters had to settle for a point, with Liverpool fully deserving their share of the spoils for a stirring fightback.

Liverpool inspired by flashpoint

Liverpool had produced an insipid performance and were being outplayed until Xhaka unwisely chose to tangle with Alexander-Arnold, the incident injecting Jurgen Klopp’s side with the energy and inspiration they had been lacking – and crucially bringing the Anfield crowd into play.

Salah’s goal was the perfect invitation to mount a second-half siege in front of the Kop and it was one Liverpool accepted as they finally showed some of their true form.

Arsenal were penned back and it took an outstanding display of goalkeeping from Ramsdale to prevent a resurgent Liverpool from completing the perfect comeback.

While Liverpool’s attack looked more potent after the break, once again they looked so vulnerable at the back and both Arsenal goals were cheap.

In the final reckoning it is a result that suits neither side, reducing Liverpool’s chances of a top-four place even further and offering a boost to Arsenal’s title rivals Manchester City, who trailed by eight points at the start of the weekend but have now seen that gap come down by two points and still have a game in hand on the north Londoners.

Arsenal squander perfect position before Ramsdale heroics

Arsenal’s players slumped to the turf in disappointment when Firmino arrived at the far post to head in the perfect delivery from Alexander-Arnold.

But their wounds were largely self-inflicted after casting aside the calm control they demonstrated for much of the first half by needlessly angering Liverpool and the Anfield crowd, after which the home side were unrecognisable.

The fact that Arsenal came away with even a point was thanks to a remarkable display by Ramsdale, who emerged as a heroic figure to repeatedly deny a fired-up Liverpool attack and secure a draw that that might yet prove vital in the outcome of this title race.

He saved well as Nunez raced clear but he kept the best for last with a flying fingertip save from Salah’s deflected curling effort, before somehow keeping out Konate’s attempt to bundle home the winner from practically on the goalline with only seconds left.

More to follow

Player of the match

Gabriel MartinelliGabriel Martinelli

with an average of 8.41

Liverpool

1. Squad number9Player nameRoberto FirminoAverage rating

   7.26

2. Squad number5Player nameKonatéAverage rating

   6.09

3. Squad number1Player nameAlissonAverage rating

   5.92

4. Squad number27Player nameNúñezAverage rating

   5.82

5. Squad number6Player nameThiago AlcántaraAverage rating

   5.81

6. Squad number26Player nameRobertsonAverage rating

   5.77

7. Squad number14Player nameHendersonAverage rating

   5.67

8. Squad number18Player nameGakpoAverage rating

   5.66

9. Squad number66Player nameAlexander-ArnoldAverage rating

   5.64

10. Squad number11Player nameMohamed SalahAverage rating

    5.52

11. Squad number3Player nameFabinhoAverage rating

    5.36

12. Squad number20Player nameDiogo JotaAverage rating

    5.30

13. Squad number4Player namevan DijkAverage rating

    5.25

14. Squad number17Player nameJonesAverage rating

    5.16

Arsenal

1. Squad number11Player nameGabriel MartinelliAverage rating

   8.41

2. Squad number1Player nameRamsdaleAverage rating

   8.24

3. Squad number9Player nameGabriel JesusAverage rating

   7.10

4. Squad number7Player nameSakaAverage rating

   6.62

5. Squad number6Player nameGabriel MagalhãesAverage rating

   6.48

6. Squad number5Player nameParteyAverage rating

   6.42

7. Squad number8Player nameØdegaardAverage rating

   6.41

8. Squad number4Player nameWhiteAverage rating

   6.32

9. Squad number16Player nameHoldingAverage rating

   6.19

10. Squad number3Player nameTierneyAverage rating

    6.13

11. Squad number35Player nameZinchenkoAverage rating

    6.05

12. Squad number34Player nameXhakaAverage rating

    5.94

13. Squad number19Player nameTrossardAverage rating

    5.80

14. Squad number15Player nameKiwiorAverage rating

    5.37

Line-ups

Liverpool

Formation 4-3-3

1Alisson

66Alexander-Arnold5Konaté4van Dijk26Robertson

14Henderson3Fabinho17Jones

11Salah18Gakpo20Jota

• 1Alisson
• 66Alexander-ArnoldBooked at 41mins
• 5Konaté
• 4van DijkBooked at 31mins
• 26RobertsonBooked at 45mins
• 14Henderson
• 3FabinhoBooked at 55minsSubstituted forFirminoat 78’minutes
• 17JonesSubstituted forThiago Alcántaraat 60’minutes
• 11Salah
• 18Gakpo
• 20JotaSubstituted forNúñezat 60’minutes

Substitutes

• 2Gomez
• 6Thiago Alcántara
• 7Milner
• 9Firmino
• 19Elliott
• 21Tsimikas
• 27Núñez
• 32Matip
• 62Kelleher

Arsenal

Formation 4-3-3

1Ramsdale

4White16Holding6Gabriel35Zinchenko

8Ødegaard5Partey34Xhaka

7Saka9Gabriel Jesus11Martinelli

• 1RamsdaleBooked at 53mins
• 4WhiteBooked at 23mins
• 16Holding
• 6Gabriel
• 35ZinchenkoSubstituted forTierneyat 88’minutes
• 8ØdegaardSubstituted forKiwiorat 80’minutes
• 5Partey
• 34XhakaBooked at 41mins
• 7SakaBooked at 84mins
• 9Gabriel JesusSubstituted forTrossardat 80’minutes
• 11Martinelli

Substitutes

• 3Tierney
• 10Smith Rowe
• 15Kiwior
• 19Trossard
• 20Jorginho
• 21Fábio Vieira
• 24Nelson
• 30Turner
• 97Walters

Referee:Paul Tierney

Match Stats

Live Text

Post update

Match ends, Liverpool 2, Arsenal 2.