Liverpool 2 - 2 Arsenal 

Anfield Stadium 

Report by Gene Sylvester

THE top two sides in the Premier League table faced off in the final game of the weekend at Anfield on Sunday in a match where the pressure was on Arsenal to maintain some distance between themselves and the chasing pack in order to preserve second place.

While the match itself ended 2-2, with Arsenal coming back from 2-0 down to rescue a point, the showcase on the pitch was eclipsed by the performance in the crowd as the Liverpool faithful booed Trent Alexander-Arnold’s every touch.

This was the first match Liverpool were playing since Alexander-Arnold announced that he would be leaving the club at the end of the season, and the Anfield crowd were quick to let him know their feelings.

His name was booed when the line-ups were read out over the tannoy before the match, and his 67th-minute introduction to the game off the bench was again met with a chorus of boos.

The Kop proceeded to bellow out their displeasure at his decision to leave the club every time the lad from West Derby touched the ball.

Liverpool coach Arne Slot spoke on the treatment of his player following the match.

“It’s a privilege to live in Europe where everyone can express their own opinion. A few of them booed and a few of them clapped.”

“I owe it to the players and the club to try to win a game of football, and with him we were close to winning this game.” explained the Dutchman, regarding his decision to bring on the player.

The crowd reaction seemed to cast a shadow over what was an enthralling game with the away side spurning a great opportunity to go ahead within three minutes when a trademark free-kick found Bakayo Saka free at the far post. 

Saka’s clever late run beat the Liverpool offside trap, but his effort at goal was placed just wide of the far post.

The early scare seemed to spark Liverpool into life as a host of chances then fell the home side’s way, and on 19 minutes the Premier League champions took the lead through Cody Gakpo’s near post header following a brilliant Andrew Robertson delivery from the left.

And two minutes later the Reds doubled their lead through Luis Diaz following a delicious ball from Mo Salah into Dominik Szoboslai who squared for the Columbian forward to tap into the net.

Arsenal came out after the break a transformed team and only took a minute to claw themselves back into the game. 

Leandro Trossard was found in space down the left before the Belgian cut inside full back Connor Bradley to loft a cross into the box where Gabriel Martinelli got in between Liverpool’s two central defenders to rise and flick home his header into the far corner of the net.

Arsenal’s comeback was complete three minutes after Alexander-Arnold’s introduction to the game when captain Martin Odegaard fired a wicked shot at goal that Allison Becker could only tip onto the post with Mikel Merino acting quickest to nod home the rebound.

The Arsenal goal-scorer was then sent off a few minutes later for a late challenge on Szobosai which was his second bookable offence, with the Gunners having to play out the last 10 minutes of the game with 10 men.

Despite his team’s turnaround, Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta was not pleased with their performance.

“I was really upset with our defending standards and the errors giving the ball away. Yes, we had a reaction but I hate reactions, I like actions.”