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Despite trailing 2-0, Arsenal fight back with second-half goals from Martinelli and Merino to earn a hard-fought point against Premier League winners Liverpool.
Arsenal reminded everyone why they were Liverpool’s closest challengers this season by pulling off a strong comeback to draw 2-2 at Anfield after going two goals down.
Liverpool were clearly the better team in the first half on Sunday. They went ahead quickly with two goals in just 90 seconds — Cody Gakpo scored with a header, and Luis Diaz added a second with an easy tap-in. Arsenal looked drained, likely still feeling the disappointment of being knocked out of the Champions League semifinals earlier in the week.
But after halftime, Arsenal came back with renewed energy. Gabriel Martinelli headed in a cross just after the break to give them hope. Then, in the 70th minute, Mikel Merino equalized. He scored with a header after Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard’s powerful shot was pushed onto the crossbar by Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson.
Merino’s night quickly turned sour, though. Just nine minutes after scoring, he was shown a red card for a reckless tackle on Dominik Szoboszlai. Even with 10 men, Arsenal managed to hold on and nearly stole all three points when Odegaard came close with a shot that just missed the post in stoppage time.
Liverpool also thought they had won it late on when Andy Robertson scored, but the goal was disallowed due to a foul in the buildup.
Liverpool had already clinched the Premier League title two weeks ago – their 20th, matching Manchester United’s record. They now have 83 points from 36 matches. Arsenal are second with 68 points and still need more results to guarantee a top-five finish, which would secure them a place in next season’s Champions League.
One of the more emotional moments came when Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold came on as a substitute. Despite being a fan favorite for years, he was booed by a section of supporters. This happened after he recently revealed he’ll be leaving the club at the end of the season on a free transfer. His decision didn’t sit well with some fans.
Liverpool started the game with real energy, looking like they wanted to prove a point even though they had already won the league. In the 20th minute, Robertson had too much space on the left and delivered a perfect cross for Gakpo to score. Less than two minutes later, Szoboszlai played a great through ball to Diaz, who calmly made it 2-0.
Diaz could have scored more in the first half — he had one good chance saved by David Raya and missed another opportunity. Raya also made a great save from Curtis Jones to keep Arsenal in the game.
But Arsenal refused to give up. They came out in the second half with a fighting spirit. Martinelli’s header from a Leandro Trossard cross gave them a boost, and Merino’s goal leveled things up.
Despite playing the last 10 minutes with one man down, Arsenal defended well. They even came close to winning, showing the kind of fight that made them title contenders earlier in the season.
Although Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes have faded, this comeback showed they still have quality and determination.
Other Premier League Results on Sunday
In other matches, Newcastle United beat Chelsea 2-0 in a big game between top-five teams. That result pushed Newcastle up to third in the table and closer to securing a Champions League spot.
Nottingham Forest’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League took a hit as they drew 2-2 with already-relegated Leicester City. After the game, Forest’s owner Evangelos Marinakis was seen arguing on the pitch with manager Nuno Espirito Santo, clearly frustrated by the result.
Meanwhile, Manchester United and Tottenham both had disappointing games. United lost 2-0 at home to West Ham, and Spurs were beaten 2-0 by Crystal Palace, continuing their poor form in domestic games.