Anfield witnessed a tale of two halves as Arsenal clawed back from a 2-0 deficit to earn a dramatic 2-2 draw against champions Liverpool, despite Mikel Merino\u2019s late dismissal. The hosts looked rampant early on: Cody Gakpo\u2019s close-range header\u2014his 10th league strike\u2014was quickly followed, 87 seconds later, by Luis D\u00edaz sliding home his eighth. At that point Liverpool boasted 54 percent possession, a pass accuracy of 89 percent, and seven shots on target, suggesting a routine victory.<\/p>
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Yet Mikel Arteta\u2019s men emerged rejuvenated. Gabriel Martinelli halved the deficit with a darting header from Leandro Trossard\u2019s cross, registering a top speed of 59 mph and marking his ninth Premier League goal. Just seven minutes later, Merino reacted fastest after Alisson tipped Martin \u00d8degaard\u2019s effort onto the bar, poking in his first for the club to push his shots-on-target ratio to 37 percent this term.<\/p>
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The Spaniard soon turned villain when a reckless lunge saw him sent off\u2014his second red in three appearances\u2014shifting momentum again. Trent Alexander-Arnold\u2019s introduction was met by audible boos from sections of the Kop unhappy with his confirmed summer departure, but the full-back nearly silenced critics by rattling the post with Liverpool\u2019s best late chance. Andy Robertson thought he\u2019d stolen it in stoppage time, only for VAR to chalk his effort off for an Ibrahima Konat\u00e9 foul.<\/p>
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Liverpool, now unable to hit the 90-point mark for a third straight campaign, stay top on 82. Arsenal move to 71, extending their unbeaten away sequence to six and sitting four points shy of mathematically clinching a top-five berth.<\/p>
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