Mohamed Salah’s late strike secured a point for Liverpool as Arsenal twice let their lead slip in a thrilling 2-2 draw at the Emirates.
Bukayo Saka, returning from injury, opened the scoring with a clinical finish after 10 minutes. The teams then traded set-piece goals before half-time, with Virgil van Dijk and Mikel Merino both heading in from close range.
Much to the frustration of the baying home support, referee Anthony Taylor denied the Gunners a stoppage-time winner, claiming a foul in the build-up before Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus bundled the ball home.
Here’s what the managers, players, pundits and stattos made of the action…
Mikel Arteta on the result…
Really disappointing not to win it because when you look at the chances, we should have won the game. The team played so well, we were dominant and very determined. Really aggressive and played in the right areas to create some big chances. We are open in transition for the second goal. Against this team, you cannot do that if you want to win the game.
Source: BBC Match of the Day
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Arne Slot on securing a draw…
To go two times behind with the fans being so loud and the team coming back so strong in the second half, I didn’t feel we deserved to go in 2-1 behind. It’s very pleasing to see we had the energy and we were so strong to fight back in the game. We did really good but we were really strong today.
Source: premierleague.com
Arsenal (1.14) 2-2 (1.10) Liverpool
— The xG Philosophy (@xGPhilosophy) October 27, 2024
Bukayo Saka on a sense of frustration…
We’re disappointed. I feel like we didn’t show our best selves for 90 minutes and it cost us in the end. We believe we should have won it. For sure, there’s definitely some positives – Liverpool are a top team, credit to them. But the overall feeling is that we didn’t show our best selves for the whole game, especially more in the second half, and it cost us in the end.
Source: Arsenal.com
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Virgil van Dijk on the draw…
It sounds very cliché but it’s better than losing. There were opportunities for us to try and win the game. The first half was difficult. We came out well in the second half and pushed for the equaliser. We move on.
Source: BBC Match of the Day
Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool FT
Arsenal may feel unlucky not to have held on for the win, with injuries hurting them badly, particularly in defence.
But was a point a fair result in the end?#ARSLIV https://t.co/oPIjYOjq7F pic.twitter.com/7YZlh08R9o
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) October 27, 2024
Arteta on Saka’s quality…
It’s his consistency and the fact that he’s very young as well and he’s been very lucky with injuries so hopefully he continues to be there, but after a few weeks off, the way he played and competed was exceptional. I think we had some big, big individual performances in the team.
Source: Post-game press conference
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Virgil van Dijk on the title race…
I think someone said to me last year, Man City lost here [the Emirates] and they won the league. We’re in October. I’ve read so many things that Arsenal are out of the title race if they lose. We’re in the business where you can be on top one week and then not. We are in October and let’s see what it brings us at the end of the season. Enjoy the ride.
Source: BBC Match of the Day
Bukayo Saka in the Premier League this season:
■ Most chances created
■ Most big chances created
■ Most assistsIncredible ⭐ pic.twitter.com/W1Xe3ZP0nH
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 27, 2024
Arteta on falling five points adrift of Manchester City…
Well you don’t want to be in that position, you want to be five points ahead but this is where we are, and again the team it’s alive, the team wants it. I feel it every single day, the players that cannot play they are upset that they are not playing, the ones that get injured, the ones that are there in a good moment, things will turn up and we’ll be in a better place but we are certainly there.
Source: Post-game press conference
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Roy Keane on Arsenal’s mentality…
You’re the home team, you’re 2-1 up, use the initiative, use the fans behind you, because the fans were doing their best to get them over the line, and do they really have that belief and conviction that they are a top team and they can really challenge Man City. I still don’t see it. I think they’ve made great progress and it seems really critical but you have to look at it when you see where Man City have got to in the last few years.
Source: Sky Sports
The last time Arsenal lost a Premier League game against a 'big six' side was April 2023.
550 days and 13 consecutive games undefeated ⚔ pic.twitter.com/Ncpqv5cET8
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 27, 2024
Arteta on whether he knows why referee Taylor blew for a foul to deny his side a winner…
No, nothing. I’m sure we’ll have some clarity or a letter afterwards, I don’t know.
Source: Post-game press conference
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Steve McManaman on neither side deserving to win…
There wasn’t lots and lots of chances where you could say ‘this should have happened and that should have happened.’ It was a battle, Liverpool equalised twice, took their moments. I didn’t think Arsenal did enough in the second half. With people going off the field and people playing out of position they did drop back and allowed Liverpool to get lots of possession in the second half, Liverpool didn’t do a lot with that possession but they certainly deserved to get back into the game. I don’t think they then did enough to go and win the game.
Source: premierleague.com
Most duels won – 13
Most tackles won – 4
Most Arsenal touches – 79Thomas Partey 👏 pic.twitter.com/WBR1zRvOXq
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 27, 2024
Ian Wright on Arsenal going into their shell…
It looked like they were saying ‘hang on, we’re in the lead let’s protect it’ rather than keep playing, maybe keep playing.
Source: premierleague.com
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Arteta on getting Timber fit but having to sub him and Big Gabi…
We’ve done everything that we possibly could to accelerate that process, and he [Timber] was so willing, the team, the medical staff have done amazing work and we gave ourselves the chance to compete. I don’t know the extent of the injury if there is one, the same with Big Gabi. I don’t know but he [Gabi] could not run, that’s what he said straight away, so I don’t know what happened. I don’t know if it’s the knee joint or the ankle, they are assessing him right now.
Source: Post-game press conference
The youngest @Arsenal player to score 50 Premier League goals, and the 7th youngest overall 😮💨
Exceptional from Bukayo Saka 💫 pic.twitter.com/KRcf3aB2rs
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 27, 2024
Mohamed Salah has scored 11 goals against Arsenal – only against Man Utd (12) has the Egyptian forward scored more.
Only two players have scored more Premier League goals against Arsenal than Salah:
14 Kane
12 Rooney
11 Vardy, Firmino, Salah#ARSLIV— Orbinho (@Orbinho) October 27, 2024
This is the first time since 2 May 2023 (vs Chelsea) that Arsenal have had neither William Saliba or Gabriel Magalhães on the pitch in a Premier League game #ARSLIV pic.twitter.com/3cCjIdzAXj
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) October 27, 2024
Death to PGMOL!
Roy Keane is shit wrapped in human skin.
Roy Keane can suck my initiative.
Game over man, game over
The positives for me today is we found Rice again. Merino will kick on from here also.
Once odeguard is back we will stop giving up control.
We will continue to get injuries but hopefully the Gods will balance them out. Imagine just Tomi or califoiri was fit today.
Get to the next international break within 5 points and we will be cooking
Agreed. Feels Merino was really good today and believe he can be much better in a few weeks/months.
Declan was superb and so was Partey !
Steve McBlahblahblan
Yeah, Roy, if City were down to a makeshift backline, they definitely wouldn’t give up an equalizer to Liverpool. God, he’s such a boring old twat.
First off he’s a spurs fan, ex man u , who only had us be competitive wirh his urd team and then he likes to wind up wrighty aswell as being a very calculated smart pundit for clickbate.
I’d hope for city to loose out on the 115 and then their lording it up on everyone is exposed for what it is
I don’t give an animal’s random body part about Roy Keane’s opinion on Manchester restaurants let alone my football club.
My blood is still up but I will write some thoughts soon. So so proud if that first half display. That’s the feeling I want to carry forward.
Have to agree with a couple of the comments about our going into a shell with the lead. We have tended to do that with a lead (of course when we are down a man to a red card it’s necessary) and often have held on for dear life, but today it hurt us. I know we shouldn’t be open and fully attacking, but that old adage in many sports that the best defense is a good offense certainly applies here as well.
Really excited to see how kiwior will preform in his ideal position.