Arsenal and Liverpool played a very entertaining draw at the Emirates on Sunday. Bukayo Saka opened the scoring for the home side in the ninth minute, and Virgil van Dijk equalized for Liverpool another nine minutes later. Mikel Merino restored Arsenal’s lead two minutes before the break, but Mohamed Salah snatched a point for the visitors in the 81st.
The teams
There was a lot of talk about Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber and winger Bukayo Saka potentially missing this game through fitness issues, but it always seemed like a bit of a mind game from manager Mikel Arteta, and it came as no real surprise that both were named to start.
Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori, however, did miss out through injury, as well as William Saliba who was suspended following the red card he had picked up the week before against Bournemouth.
David Raya was in goal. Timber played left-back, Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes were the centre-back duo, with Thomas Partey on the right. Declan Rice, Mikel Merino were in the middle of the park, with Leandro Trossard further up. Kai Havertz led the line, with Saka on his right and Gabriel Martinelli on his left. However, in a manner of a “flase nine”, Havertz frequently moved away from the central attacking position, trying to create space for Trossard, Saka or Martinelli to run into.
Meanwhile, Liverpool boss Arne Slot was unable to call upon first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker, forward Diogo Jota, and midfielder Harvey Elliott, through injury. Further more, the fine performances of Curtis Jones in previous matches were rewarded with a start at the Emirates, at the expense of Dominik Szoboszlai.
Caoimhin Kelleher stood in for Alisson between the posts again. Virgil van Dijk, captaining Liverpool for the 100th time, paired up with Ibrahima Konate in the heart of defence, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson on the defensive flanks. Jones joined Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister in the…
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Author : Veselin Trajkovic
Publish date : 2024-10-28 14:18:33
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