Mohamed Salah struck ten minutes from time to keep Liverpool unbeaten away under Arne Slot with a point at Arsenal in an absorbing Premier League encounter at Emirates Stadium.
Liverpool are a point behind leaders Manchester City after equalising twice to stay four points above the Gunners, who went ahead through Bukayo Saka’s emphatic ninth-minute finish on the England attacker’s return from injury.
Mo Salah finds the equaliser for Liverpool! 🔴 pic.twitter.com/d25GlFIwnK
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 27, 2024
Virgil van Dijk nodded in nine minutes later to bring the visitors level and Mikel Merino – a £31.6 million signing in August – headed his first goal for Arsenal from Declan Rice’s free-kick to restore the hosts’ lead two minutes before half-time.
Salah’s eighth goal of the season came after Arsenal centre-back Gabriel departed injured, Liverpool’s leading marksman scoring against a makeshift defence including 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly on his flank.
Chaos at The Emirates 😲 pic.twitter.com/qgIOA6IK4Z
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 27, 2024
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Arsenal vs Liverpool: Captains chip in
Saka was absent when Arsenal suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth eight days earlier, their first league loss of the season coming without their creative inspiration who had contributed seven assists and three goals before missing three matches with a hamstring injury.
Given the captaincy while Martin Odegaard remains out, the fit-again Saka surged on to Ben White’s long ball, dazzled Andy Robertson and thumped a wonderful finish into the roof of the net to mark his comeback in style with his 50th Premier League goal.
“I taught Bukayo that” 😅
Theo Walcott on that finish 🤤 pic.twitter.com/WUISkt5kYQ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 27, 2024
That was never likely to be the final goal of their contest against opponents on an eight-game winning run, and Luis Diaz flicked on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner to allow skipper Van Dijk to swiftly put his side back on terms.
Merino’s aerial ability was one of the reasons why Mikel Arteta was intent on signing him from Real Sociedad and the Spain midfielder showed why at the end of a half Arsenal shaded.
A super response from Liverpool’s captain 🔴 pic.twitter.com/lNUemc1wwQ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 27, 2024
Saliba stats haunt Arteta
Arteta might wonder if Arsenal would have held on had William Saliba not been suspended for the straight red card he received at Bournemouth.
Since Saliba’s arrival at the club, their win percentage before this game had been 74% when he was involved and less than 46% when he did not feature.
Mikel Merino scores his first Arsenal goal to put Arsenal back in front! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ttPJcyO6CJ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 27, 2024
When Salah scored, Arsenal’s back four had the unfamiliar line-up of Thomas Partey at right-back, Jakub Kiwior and Ben White in the middle and Lewis-Skelly on the left, preferred to Oleksandr Zinchenko from the bench when Jurrien Timber was replaced during the second half.
Arsenal will hope to have Saliba and Gabriel restored when they visit Newcastle in their next Premier League game on Saturday (12.30pm GMT), while Liverpool host Brighton & Hove Albion on the same day (3pm).
