The champion stopped the challenger. He Liverpool stopped the Arsenalachieving a creditable draw (0-0) in the Emirates that ended a streak of five consecutive days winning in Premier of the ‘gunners’, and the difference with the Manchester City Pep Guardiola’s position at the top of the standings remained at six points. The ‘reds’ gave a better image than in their previous two games of the new year, and showed their rival that if they want to win the English league they still have a long way to go. The season is long and nothing is done.
Sin Hugo Ekiiti in the call, already in the final stretch of his recovery, Arne Slot -highly highlighted by the English press- he opted for the little that has gone well for him in recent days: putting Frimpong far right to complete the attack trident with Floriant Wirtz y Cody Agat. For locals, Mikel Arteta surprised by leaving one of his usual men on the bench in big games, the Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino. Instead he played a Victor Root who tiptoed through the meeting.
The magnitude of the match was noticeable and it moved to the field, with a start lacking in rhythm and with few arrivals. He dominated the Arsenalaware that he could hit the table, but by no means gave up attacking the ‘red’ team, which defended itself well in the Emirates. The first chance of the clash did not arrive until the 18th minute, in a centered shot from Bukayo Saka from the front that he caught without major problems Alisson.
The clearest was in the other goal in a somewhat strange play in which the ‘Gunner’ defense was not as forceful as we are accustomed to this season. A cross was not understood with David Raya and the Spanish goalkeeper struggled to get the ball away from him, moving away from his goal and giving the ball to a Connor Bradley who threw the Vaseline but hit the crossbar. The Reds claimed a penalty after half an hour of play for a knockdown inside the penalty area. Emphasis on Frimpongwhich neither Anthony Taylor nor the VAR considered it punishable despite the complaints of the visiting players.
He tried it Declan Rice with a volley shot that he caught Alisson just before the break. After passing through the locker room, clear dominance of the current champion of the Premierwho took a step forward and took control of the game against a Arsenal who was waiting in his half of the field. In the 55th minute, Trossard filtered a great ball for Zubimendi to arrive from behind, but the Spaniard’s control was not good and he missed a good opportunity to finish a play. Arteta moved the tree with about twenty minutes remaining, with the entry of Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus, but both teams seemed to consider the tie a good one considering what was at stake.
On the one hand, the 0-0 score kept the distance from Arsenal with the City in the classification, while for the ‘reds’ it meant continuing to establish themselves in the area Champions and remove rumors about a possible dismissal of his coach Arne Slothighly highlighted by the latest results. Everyone seemed to accept one less truce Dominik Szoboszlai. The Hungarian midfielder came close to scoring with just under ten minutes left in the ninety minute with an excellent free-kick that went over the barrier and touched the crossbar of the goal defended by Raya.
He trusted a lot Slot in the eleven footballers who were on the field of play, capable of competing face to face with the leader of the Premier, and decided not to make any changes. Curtis Jones, Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumohathe little that the ‘red’ coach had on the bench, they ran out of minutes. Liverpool accused the lack of fresh legs in the final stretch, first because they lost Bradley due to injury and then because Arsenal took advantage of it to put a new gear in their attacks. Gabriel Jesus nodded to the hands of Alisson a lateral center in the 90′, and Konate y Van Dyke They multiplied in the area to keep any option away from the Londoners until the final whistle. Of course, in the last action, Gabriel Magalhaes He almost scored with a header from a corner kick taken by Madueke.
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