Arsenal beats Liverpool to throw title race open

Liverpool have only lost two of their last 34 games in the Premier League, winning 22 and 10 draws. Interestingly, both of those defeats came in north London – at Tottenham in September 2023 and Arsenal on Sunday yesterday.

The game was the 200th league match between Arsenal and Liverpool, but the Gunners were on a three-game winless run against the Reds going into the game. Mikel Arteta’s men were able to secure a 3-1 win and throw the Premier League title race open.

The opening stages were interesting and action-packed, but ironically, neither goalkeeper was tested. Bukayo Saka put the Gunners ahead 14 minutes into proceedings.

The hosts couldn’t keep the lead into halftime as a defensive mixup led to Liverpool equalizing after Gabriel’s own goal. The Gunners enjoyed similar luck in the second half when Martinelli swept home into an empty net after a miscommunication between Alisson and Virgil van Dijk. There was a late addition from Leandro Trossard after Liverpool were reduced to ten men with Konate’s red card.

Manager Mikel Arteta couldn’t hold his excitement as his team reduced the gap at the top to just two points.

“I’m very happy. It was a huge game that was going to dictate where we were and where we were going to be. What the players produced was phenomenal. When they do that I have to put my energy in too. We are connecting with our people. We tried to produce a video to tell them how much we need them. They [fans] got the best out of every player today. I couldn’t [single out one player]. Jorginho got man of the match. I couldn’t be happier. He’s a real example.” Arteta said.

The Gunners currently sit second with 49 points, three ahead of Manchester City, who have a game in hand and two behind the Reds.

Daniel Ademiju Idowu