‘Given Man City hope’ – National media highlight ‘fatal mistake’ Arsenal made against Liverpool

Arsenal have suffered a major blow in their Premier League title race against Manchester City after drawing against Liverpool at Anfield.

From 2-0 up and a potentially season-defining victory, Arsenal let a two-goal lead slip and some seeds of doubt may just have been sewn. Mikel Arteta’s men are still six points ahead of Manchester City – albeit Arsenal have played a game more – but to fight so hard, go so close and then succumb so late will be a bitter pill to swallow.

A draw at Anfield, no matter Liverpool’s inconsistencies, is not a bad result in any season. But in the context of this title race and after going 2-0 up, it will have given City hope. Arsenal’s players slumped to the floor in despair after Roberto Firmino’s 87th minute equaliser in front of the Kop and you can bet City will rarely have been so happy to see Liverpool score.

And if it had not been for Aaron Ramsdale made a number of incredible saves to avoid Arsenal suffering a worse result, denying Ibrahima Konate in the 94th minute as Liverpool looked destined to find a late winner at the Kop End.

Following the draw at Anfield, here is how the national media reacted to the Gunners’ performance.

Jason Burt – Telegraph

Arsenal committed the fatal mistake of making Liverpool angry and, with it, handed the advantage in the Premier League title race to Manchester City.

The turning point, in an extraordinary encounter which may have serious repercussions for assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis who amazingly stands accused of elbowing Andrew Robertson, came not with the goals but with an incident when Arsenal were 2-0 up and in complete control.

Needlessly, Granit Xhaka clashed with Trent Alexander-Arnold off-the-ball and while both players were cautioned by referee Paul Tierney it was certainly a card worth taking for the Liverpool full-back.

Xhaka did not need to bump into him to provoke him and yet the midfielder did just that and, with it, the Liverpool players and – crucially – the home fans were riled.

Until that point they had appeared traumatised but, after it, their blood was up and in a stadium which runs on emotion arguably more than any other the feelings were raw. How Liverpool exploited them.

Ian Ladyman – Daily Mail

For 79 minutes, Arsenal stuck their elbows out at Anfield. That was how long they led this game. That was how long their lead at the top of the Premier League looked set to return to eight points. But Liverpool got them in the end. And now Manchester City, in time, may get them too.

Liverpool long since ceased to play a part in this title race. But when it comes to going face to face with City at this time of year, they know how it is. They know there is no way back for those who blink.

Here in front of an Anfield crowd with only pride to cling to this season, Arsenal didn’t so much as blink as have a light shone deep in to their eyes until they simply could not take any more.

It could have been worse for Mikel Arteta and his team. Having led from the eighth minute and by two from the 28th, they could actually have lost. Their goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale made one of the saves of his career to touch a deflected Mo Salah shot over the bar in the 94th minute.

Then, a minute later, he managed to keep the ball from crossing the line at the Kop End after Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate seemed to have bundled the winning goal in with his chest from five yards.

Phil McNulty – BBC Sport

Liverpool had produced an insipid performance and were being outplayed until Xhaka unwisely chose to tangle with Alexander-Arnold, the incident injecting Jurgen Klopp’s side with the energy and inspiration they had been lacking – and crucially bringing the Anfield crowd into play.

Salah’s goal was the perfect invitation to mount a second-half siege in front of the Kop and it was one Liverpool accepted as they finally showed some of their true form.

Arsenal were penned back and it took an outstanding display of goalkeeping from Ramsdale to prevent a resurgent Liverpool from completing the perfect comeback.

While Liverpool’s attack looked more potent after the break, once again they looked so vulnerable at the back and both Arsenal goals were cheap.

In the final reckoning it is a result that suits neither side, reducing Liverpool’s chances of a top-four place even further and offering a boost to Arsenal’s title rivals Manchester City, who trailed by eight points at the start of the weekend but have now seen that gap come down by two points and still have a game in hand on the north Londoners.

Rich Jolly – Independent

The opener was another illustration of the growing fallibility of Virgil van Dijk who, in attempting to intercept Martin Odegaard’s pass, instead only redirected it to the on-rushing Martinelli. He sidefooted a shot past Alisson for his seventh goal in eight league matches.

Jesus soon had a third in two. Xhaka chipped a pass in behind Trent Alexander-Arnold to Martinelli. With Konate coming across to cover, Andy Robertson was nearest to Jesus when the striker rose to head in Martinelli’s cross. It was far too easy for Arsenal: as Jesus rose highest at Easter, it looked a tale of their resurrection from the footballing dead.

But Liverpool could stage a revival of their own. A fractiousness had a surreal element when Robertson seemed to be elbowed by the assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis at half-time. It also galvanised Liverpool. Ramsdale made his first fine save from the indefatigable Salah. The Egyptian then halved the deficit as he was sharpest to react when a stretching Jordan Henderson diverted Robertson’s cross to the far post. Henderson himself thrashed a shot over.

The onslaught continued. Rob Holding, deputising for the missed William Saliba, barged Diogo Jota over in the box. Klopp, who had chosen not to look, turned around in disbelief when there was no Anfield roar as Salah struck the advertising hoardings with his spot-kick.

But Liverpool nevertheless had the momentum and energy of old. The side who faded in the second half against City surged on after the break, forcing Arsenal back, sucking them of oxygen. Nunez came on and almost scored. Firmino came on and did after Alexander-Arnold, in a redemptive moment on an afternoon of more defensive difficulties, nutmegged Oleksandr Zinchenko and crossed. Still the drama was not over: but for Ramsdale’s brilliance, there would have been a second defeat of the season on Merseyside for Arsenal. And at the end of a barnstorming game, it felt a little less likely they will win the league.

The Guardian

A post-match scene of Arsenal despair painted a pretty picture for Manchester City. Gabriel Magalhães sank to his knees on the final whistle, Oleksandr Zinchenko held his head in his hands and Mikel Arteta assumed the role of counsellor‑in‑chief to lift his players physically and emotionally. Anfield, the stage of Arsenal’s greatest title moment, may have cost them dearly again.

In the 40th minute of a potentially defining game in the title race, Arsenal led Liverpool 2-0 and with such authority that an eight-point lead over City with eight games to play appeared a fair reflection of their precocious gifts. Then Granit Xhaka needlessly barged an arm into the back of Trent Alexander-Arnold and sparked a melee that ignited a previously forlorn home crowd. The elbow that the assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis threw at Andy Robertson will claim the headlines, but it was Xhaka’s stupidity that shaped the rest of a pulsating, frentic and significant evening.

Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool back into the contest seconds later with Arsenal’s composure gone. Jürgen Klopp’s side dominated the second half, Salah missing a penalty and Aaron Ramsdale performing heroics in the Arsenal goal before the substitute Roberto Firmino headed home an 87th‑minute equaliser in front of a raucous Kop.

There was still time and opportunity for Liverpool to win it. Arsenal too. Salah volleyed over from close range and had a deflected, goalbound effort tipped away brilliantly by Ramsdale, who then denied Ibrahima Konaté on the goalline. Arsenal broke in numbers one final time but Gabriel Martinelli misplaced his pass to Bukayo Saka and the chance was gone.

A comfortable advantage over City has gone, too. It is now six points clear with eight games to play, including one at the Etihad Stadium. The scene of Arsenal players on their knees and shaking their heads in disbelief after the final whistle was as justified as it was telling.