Arsenal and Liverpool joined the host of big boys to drop points at midweek, as Mikel Arteta’s men failed to grow their table lead via a 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday.
MORE — Player ratings | Watch Arsenal v Liverpool full match replay
The Gunners showed up with ambition in a big game and dominated the first half but failed to scoire, and the game turned the other way in the second half in a tale of two halves that could’ve been a classic were goals to have arrived in North London.
MORE — Manager reaction from Arne Slot and Mikel Arteta
Arsenal push their table lead back to six points over Man City and Aston Villa. Liverpool sit fourth but are a whopping 14 points behind their Thursday hosts.
Conor Bradley was injured late and had to be stretchered off the field in a scary incident that saw more red flags raised when Gabriel Martinelli shoved the prone defender off the pitch.
Arsenal take handbrakes off but miss the destination, blow big opportunity
So many times we’ve seen Mikel Arteta’s Gunners show up to a big Premier League game and play a game of safe, not sorry. That’s not what Arsenal did on Thursday and the first half was everything you want from your team aside from goals. Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice, and Martin Zubimendi were rambunctious as they pushed the ball toward Liverpool’s goal and looked oh-so-hungry to win it back and go again. But they just couldn’t find the goal. At times the team failed to target Viktor Gyokeres and seemed intent on finding the back post, but really it was just a lack of finding that pivotal final ball to take the lead. Hindsight’s 20/20, but it felt like Liverpool could’ve melted away in the ongoing rain had Arsenal just found an opener. And if we’re going to have live with the cliche of “That’s the kind of games champions win” after a team plays poorly but gets three points from an own goal, then maybe someone should point out that this, too, was the kind of game champions win... and Arsenal didn’t manage to turn the trick on Thursday.
What’s next?
No time to rest for the Gunners, who go to Portsmouth on Sunday for an FA Cup tie, then to Chelsea on Wednesday for the first leg of the League Cup semifinal. It’s Nottingham Forest next in the Premier League on January 17 and then Inter Milan on January 20 — all away from home — as Arsenal play four times in 10 days.
Liverpool have Barnsley at home in the FA Cu on Monday, then face Burnley at Anfield on January 17 and Marseille in France on January 21.
Arsenal vs Liverpool final score: 0-0
Arsenal vs Liverpool live updates — by Nick Mendola
Conor Bradley injured, Gabriel Martinelli shamed
Bradley lands very awkwardly on his leg and then collapses when he tries to plant that leg a second time.
He’s on the pitch in clear distress and Gabriel Martinelli thinks he’s wasting time. So Martinelli bounces the ball off the prone Bradley’s hip and then tries to shove him over the side line to restart play.
It causes a coming-together and Martinelli only looks worse as Bradley needs a stretcher to get off the pitch.
Odegaard and Saka off
Strange moves from Mikel Arteta, not in that he’s putting Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze into the game but that he’s taking Bukayo Saka (especially) and Martin Odegaard out of the game.
About 12 minutes to go plus stoppage time.
Arsenal subs
They had to do something, and they’ll do two things.
Trossard exits for Gabriel Martinelli, and Gyokeres is done in favor of Gabriel Jesus.
0-0, 65'.
Liverpool better but not as adventurous
The Reds are holding the ball more to start the second half but it’s a wary bit of possession.
Liverpool are just now putting more into the final third after a solid 5-7 minutes living in those areas.
Piero Hincapie limps off
Hincapie appears to have a muscular injury in his right leg and will be replaced by Myles Lewis-Skelly in the 57th minute.
Halftime — Arsenal 0-0 Liverpool
The Reds will be happy to refuel after what’s arguably been 45 minutes of tracking Arsenal’s movement with and off the ball.
Lots of options for Arsenal off the bench.
Arsenal come close again
The Gunners continue to create space and have found reverse passes to be a threat.
Viktor Gyokeres sneaks out to the right flank and sends Timber to the end line, where his cross eventually becomes a half-hit shot caught by Alisson.
Declan Rice and Virgil van Dijk get heated
Jeremie Frimpong goes down in the Arsenal box after stepping on Piero Hincapie’s foot, and the Gunners take the ball and attack the other way.
Leandro Trossard has a shot take a few turns out of play at the other end, and Frimpong needs treatment.
Van Dijk goes after Declan Rice for the Gunners not stopping play, and Rice goes right back at him.
The cold and wet has put a physical damper on the teams but not a spiritual one.
Liverpool nearly score on first real chance
Conor Bradley chips the keeper but can’t get the ball to sink under the cross bar.
Cody Gakpo gets the rebound but has to take a touch and is closed down by Timber.
The Reds keep the ball until Timber shuts it down again.
Still 0-0 into the 29th minute.
Arsenal swarming guests with air of inevitability
Saka and Timber are living in the Liverpool final third, but it’s not only them doing work.
There’s an intense swarming press in Liverpool’s half the moment the Reds sniff the ball.
Still, 0-0 in the 17th minute.
Bukayo Saka the early star, Trossard sees yellow
England’s right wing is flying up and down the flank, giving Milos Kerkez a hard time.
His latest bid to help put Arsenal on the board is a back post corner kick that challenged Alisson Becker into a double-fisted parry.
Leandro Trossard likely shortens his day by fouling Florian Wirtz’s counter attack bid and picking up a yellow card.
Pouring down rain
The players are already soaked in the fourth minute as rain hammers down in North London.
Arsenal lineup
Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Trossard, Gyokeres
Liverpool lineup
Alisson, Kerkez, Konate, Van Dijk, Bradley, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo, Frimpong
Arsenal vs Liverpool preview — by Joe Prince-Wright
Mikel Arteta’s side have found so many different ways to win tight games over the festive season, as they won 3-2 at Bournemouth on Saturday to extend their lead atop the table. They have won five in a row since their last-gasp defeat at Aston Villa at the start of December, with four of those wins by a single goal.
Liverpool are nine games unbeaten as they’ve recovered well from an awful stretch, but they’re drawing too many games and Arne Slot was left disappointed as they conceded a 97th-minute equalizer to draw 2-2 at Fulham on Sunday. Injuries have been impacting Liverpool in recent weeks but they’re still in fourth place in the table and doing okay.
Arsenal team news, focus
Injury issues have calmed down for Arsenal with Riccardo Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera and Max Dowman the only absentees. The duo of Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard will likely start out wide, while Mikel Merino is pushing for a start in midfield but the trio of Zubimendi, Odegaard and Rice were excellent against Bournemouth. Arteta has rotated so well in recent weeks and now injuries have eased Arsenal have so many options in midfield and attack with Gabriel Jesus, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli and Eberechi Eze all available to help off the bench.
Liverpool team news, focus
Alexander Isak is out, while Mohamed Salah is away at AFCON with Egypt and Hugo Ekitike is a serious doubt. All of that means Cody Gakpo could start up front in a central role again, while Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai are likely to start on the left and right respectively. Jeremie Frimpong will be pushing for a start after his positive impact off the bench against Fulham and he could line up at right wing with Szoboszlai pushed into a central role.
Arsenal vs Liverpool prediction
This should be a really fun game as Arsenal will take it to Liverpool early but Arne Slot’s side are more resilient now. Given their extra options off the bench, Arsenal will just edge it. Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool.
How to watch Arsenal vs Liverpool live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 3pm ET Thursday (January 8)
Venue: Emirates Stadium — North London
TV Channel: NBCSN
Streaming: Stream live on Peacock
