KATHMANDU: Arsenal retained their position at the summit of the Premier League following an exhilarating draw against Liverpool at Anfield.
In a match where victory for either team would have secured the Christmas top spot, the high-stakes encounter concluded with both sides settling for a share of the points.
The game kicked off with Arsenal making a perfect start as defender Gabriel nodded in a goal from Martin Odegaard’s free-kick just four minutes into the match.
Despite this early setback, Liverpool regrouped and managed to equalize after 29 minutes when Mohamed Salah expertly finished past Gunners keeper David Raya at his near post, courtesy of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s precise pass.
During the match, Liverpool felt aggrieved as their appeal for a clear penalty was dismissed when Odegaard handled the ball.
Subsequently, Jurgen Klopp’s side created more scoring opportunities, with substitute Harvey Elliott narrowly missing the post and Alexander-Arnold squandering a prime chance by hitting the crossbar in a counter-attack.
Reflecting on the intense clash, Klopp expressed confidence in his team’s performance, stating, “Absolutely we take confidence from the result.”
Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta described the game as “unbelievable” and praised his team’s determination to attack, acknowledging that a draw was a fair outcome.
Arteta emphasized Liverpool’s prowess, highlighting their ability to cause chaos and labeling them as the best in the world at their style of play.
(Inputs from BBC)
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