Key events
Here’s the report from Andy Hunter at Anfield, which means our live blog coverage for the day concludes there.
A day when the champions maintained their 15-point gap to second place, with Arsenal still requiring more points to cement second spot and Champions League qualification.
Andy Robertson is now chatting to Sky Sports:
We scored two really good goals and dominated. But we came out second half miles off it and they caused us some problems, we lost our aggression in the press. I was probably just offside [at the end] so it wasn’t meant to be. I’m delighted to get that [assist], I’ve been sat on 59 for ages, so glad to get to 60.
On the booing of Alexander-Arnold:
We’ve always been delighted with each other for assists. He came up to me with a smile at half-time.
There’s a lot of emotion around it and it’s crucial in these moments that I don’t tell you how to feel. I’m disappointed to lose my best mate and he’s an amazing player and person. He’s took me to levels I never knew existed. And he’s made a choice, so his legacy at this club is there for everyone to see. It’s not been an easy decision for Trent and it’s not nice to see a friend get booed, but I can’t tell people how to feel.
More from Carragher: “I was surprised how many [booed]. When you’re in a crowd of 60,000 people, I don’t doubt there’s a lot of unhappy people in Liverpool, about the situation, and I’ve said that’s understandable. I don’t believe any player putting that red shirt on and going out to play for the club and trying to win them three points and win them trophies should be booed.”
It must be said, Alexander-Arnold received a far warmer ovation at the end of the game, as he went to applaud the Liverpool fans.
Still, a strange experience for him, you would think.
Arne Slot and Mikel Arteta will be doing their post-match interviews soon. I do hope Slot will be asked about today’s performance, as well as the inevitable Alexander-Arnold questions …
Incidentally, Liverpool have now won just four of their past nine matches – their worst run of the campaign. Games against Brighton (A) and Crystal Palace (H) will conclude their season.
Ex Liverpool star Jamie Carragher, speaking on Sky Sports re the booing of Alexander-Arnold:
“I understand there’s a lot of ill-feeling and some people from outside of Liverpool don’t get that. I do. But booing your own player, it’s not for me.”
Before we get stuck into the reaction from this game, here are some reports from elsewhere in the world of football.
FT: Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal
This topsy-turvy game between the Premier League’s best and second best sides has indeed ended level. We’ve had no shortage of entertainment, with two quickfire Liverpool goals, a gutsy Arsenal comeback, Mikel Merino’s red card and nearly, oh so nearly, a winner from the Reds with the final kick of the match.
Yet despite all that the headlines will probably be reserved for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was roundly booed after confirmation he will leave Liverpool for Real Madrid. He will at least leave his boyhood club with another league winners’ medal.
HAS ROBERTSON WON IT?! He’s buried the ball in the net after Van Dijk’s header is parried out. It’s so so tight. The flag has gone up.
90 mins +5: Oh my word, Ødegaard has nearly won it for Arsenal on the break. Just wide with his left foot. Is there time for a Liverpool attack? Salah wins a corner at least.
90 mins + 3: Plenty more messages re Trent continue to drop in my inbox, on both sides of the debate. Suspect it will run and run over the coming hours and days.
At Anfield, the Kop End is willing their side on, as Arsenal camp deep looking to see this out. Nunez is crowded out after receiving a pass, then Alexander-Arnold’s cross evades everyone.
90 mins +1: Elliott gets time to steady himself for a shot but curls over from inside the box. That was a chance, you know.
We’re now into five minutes of added time.
Can Arsenal hang on for a point, or better, here? They need the points more than Liverpool, but they’re a man light.
As Robertson spurns a big chance, one more Trent-related email for you, via Wolfman:
Feel kinda the same about Trent as Raheem, don’t think it’s any reflection on them as people. I like Raheem a lot but would happily boo him. Same for Trent really, send the message out that there’s a price to leaving.
88 mins: Calafiori has played in two or three different positions and he’s only been on a few minutes.
It looks like Arteta is going to settle for the draw here, as he brings on Zinchenko for Saka, who’s been really good.
85 mins: Salah is squeezed out on the edge of the box. But it feels like only Liverpool can win this now, after the Merino red card.
84 mins: Jota ignores some good options as Liverpool flurry forward again as he drags a left-footed shot well wide instead.
Another email. Chris Lambert adds:
Insane to see a club servant like Trent getting stick from “fans”. Anyone who believes their club offers a player more than [checks notes] Real Madrid, is living a delicious delusion.
Harvey Elliott is on for Gravenberch, by the way.
An email from Andrew McLeod:
I have been a proud Liverpool fan for over 40 years, but today I’m embarrassed by the absolute lack of class by so many of our fans today.
81 mins: Alexander-Arnold stands over a free-kick … imagine a goal here. Tell you what, it’s not far away. His effort receives another smattering of boos, along with some applause.
RED CARD! Merino (Arsenal)
Mikel Merino, what have you done? He’s lunged into Szoboszlai after giving the ball away and it’s a nailed-on second yellow. He’s off.
Talk about from hero to zero … the Gunners will play the final 10 minutes plus stoppage time with 10 players.
79 mins: Trossard and White are the men removed. So one of those left-backs will presumably play higher up on the wing?
The Liverpool change sees Diogo Jota come on for Luis Díaz.
78 mins: Leandro Trossard is down on the turf needing treatment and it looks like his race may be run.
Riccardo Calafiori and Kieran Tierney are being readied in the away dugout by Arteta, as the players grab a quick drink.
76 mins: Here comes a Liverpool counter. Can they find a sucker punch? No, Salah gets his pass wrong.
But an Arsenal mistake means Liverpool get another chance and Gravenberch slices it wide from around 20 yards. This is anyone’s game.
75 mins: There is all sorts of space behind the Liverpool backline at the moment. Arsenal are smelling blood.
73 mins: It feels to me like the booing for Alexander-Arnold has played into Arsenal’s hands. It’s created a strange atmosphere on what should be a jubilant day for Liverpool – and the visitors have kept their cool throughout the second half and reaped their rewards.
It was an Ødegaard howitzer that Alisson parried onto the woodwork, and it ended with the ball in the net courtesy of Merino.
The goal will stand. The Spanish midfielder was just onside. Game on!
GOAL! Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal (Merino, 70)
ARSENAL ARE LEVEL! WOW.
Merino followed in with his head after Alisson just about kept out a long shot. But is it offside?
69 mins: Back to the action and it’s still Arsenal doing the bulk of the probing.
HUGE boos for Alexander-Arnold as he takes his first touch. Gah, you feel for him, not an easy situation.
67 mins: The booing of Alexander-Arnold really surprises me. He’s going to leave Liverpool as a double league winner, with a Champions League winners’ medal and plenty of other pots in his cabinet, too.
The songs are now pro-Conor Bradley, to be fair. But there you go.
A triple Liverpool change, then:
A few boos for Trent … actually quite a lot of booing. Goodness me.
65 mins: Goodness me, how has that not gone in?
Saliba cannot believe he’s not scored after Saka works a corner short and then lifts it towards the back post. Konate somehow got his head in the way of Saliba’s header. Mammoth defending.
64 mins: Imagine if Declan Rice was fit enough to play today … Arsenal are causing enough problems as it is. Bradley gets in a superb last-ditch tackle this time to deny Martinelli. Good covering speed from the full-back.
Source From: Premier League | The Guardian
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