Report: Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool (inc. goals)

Arsenal: Raya, Partey, White, Timber, Gabriel, Rice, Merino, Martinelli, Trossard, Saka, Havertz

Subs: Neto, Kiwior, Nichols, Zinchenko, Lewis-Skelly, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Sterling, Jesus

An injury hit Arsenal were forced to settle for a point after drawing 2-2 against Liverpool on Sunday, after goals from Bukayo Saka and Mikel Merino.

Mikel Arteta made three changes to the side that beat Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 on Tuesday, with Jurrien Timber and Saka both passing late fitness tests to start alongside Merino who also came into the side.

William Saliba was missing for the Gunners following his red card against Bournemouth last week.

It was even start with both teams feeling each other out, although there was an early point of controversy when Virgil van Dijk was lucky to avoid further punishment after kicking out (twice) at Kai Havertz.

However, the Gunners were ahead with the game’s first opportunity after eight minutes, though who else? Bukayo Saka.

Ben White – playing at centre back in Saliba’s absence – was given too much time on the ball and picked out Saka who ran beyond Andy Robertson, cut inside him and hammered a finish past Caoimhin Kelleher into the roof of the net. 1-0.

There was a heart in mouth moment for Merino shortly after when his loose touch allowed Mohamed Salah a shot from distance, although he flashed it wide with Raya out of position.

With 18 minutes on the clock, Liverpool did equalise through Van Dijk who reacted quickest to head home Luis Diaz’s near post flick on. For the second successive week Arsenal have conceded from a corner and their defending left a lot to be desired once again. 1-1.

Merino then had a chance to redeem himself but couldn’t find a clean connection from close range after Declan Rice’s pinpoint set-piece delivery, before Kai Havertz had a chance at the back post after Martinelli burned past Alexander-Arnold but couldn’t control at pace.

Liverpool were also fortunate to avoid conceding a penalty after clumsy defending from Alexander-Arnold and Konate saw Martinelli bundled to the ground, although the French defender got just enough of the ball to escape.

There was another sight of goal for Martinelli who found himself on the edge of the box after nice play between Merino and Timber, but fired over after being closed down by two or three defenders.

Arsenal had wrestled back control after the equaliser and were causing Liverpool problems, particularly down the right side with Saka winning the battle against Robertson.

The hosts’ pressure would eventually tell when another excellent Rice delivery found Merino in the middle who headed home with conviction, with VAR later confirming the goal despite a lengthy check. 2-1.

It was a goal (and lead) their first half play deserved, and – one sloppy defensive moment aside – were the better team. Arsenal looked sharp in possession, were winning their duels in key areas and looked dangerous from set pieces throughout.

Shortly after the break, there was further injury concern for Arteta’s men when Gabriel went down clutching his knee after clashing with Darwin Nunez but seemed ok to carry on after treatment from the physio.

But after being called into action as Liverpool pushed forward, he went to ground again and was unable to continue before being replaced by Jakub Kiwior.

With a makeshift back four of Partey, White, Kiwior and Timber on the pitch, Arsenal looked increasingly nervous and were dropping deeper as the visitors continued to push without creating any clear opportunities.

Understandably, short on fitness and match practice, both Saka and Timber were struggling with 15 minutes to play and the latter was replaced by Myles Lewis-Skelly who was again picked over Oleksandr Zinchenko to play at left back.

With ten minutes left to play, Liverpool did find their equaliser and it came through Mohamed Salah after a clinical counter attacking move.

After Martinelli lost the ball in an advanced area, Alexander-Arnold was able to set Nunez free with a teasing ball over the top – baiting Kiwior into intercepting who got caught – before the Uruguayan squared for Salah to finish beyond Raya. 2-2.

It felt like a sucker punch for the Gunners who had defended well for most of the second half but were opened up with surgical-like precision.

Arteta reacted by bringing on Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Jesus for Saka and Martinelli, and Jesus had a chance to score (or create a goal for Merino) but his back post volley was crucially blocked by Curtis Jones.

Arsenal did have the ball in the net in injury time after Jesus was on hand to tap in, but referee Anthony Taylor already blew – for a Kiwior foul? – in the lead up to the goal after Kelleher and Alexander-Arnold made a mess of clearing the ball.

The Gunners continued to push late on and were incensed after Jesus did well to earn a corner against two Liverpool defenders, although the linesman somehow gave a goal kick despite looking directly at the incident. Jesus was booked after the full time whistle for protesting the decision.

Both teams would eventually share the spoils but it was an otherwise encouraging performance from Arteta’s men who dominated large parts, considering their injury situation and constant reshuffling – especially defensively.

Liverpool created very little in terms of clear opportunities but had the quality to make things count when they had sights of goal.

There will be huge disappointment not to have won this game but with another difficult set of fixtures to come, taking a breath and getting people fit again will be a more valuable allocation of time and energy.