**Premier League**
**LIVERPOOL 2 (Gakpo 20, Diaz 21)**
**ARSENAL 2 (Martinelli 47, Merino 70; Merino sent off 79)**
ARSENAL battled back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw against champions Liverpool this afternoon (Sunday) despite finishing a compelling Premier League encounter with 10 players.
It looked like it was going to be a long afternoon when Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz scored within 87 first-half seconds of each other to put Arne Slot’s side firmly in control at Anfield.
Arsenal’s defence went to sleep following a quick throw-in, allowing Andy Robertson to cross for Gakpo to head home. The Reds doubled their lead a minute later when Dominik Szoboszlai squared the ball for Luis Diaz to slide into an empty net.
The Gunners looked as though they were heading for a heavy defeat. But, no doubt inspired by a stern half-time teamtalk, Mikel Arteta’s side rallied after the break.
Gabriel Martinelli headed in a cross from Leandro Trossard to reduce the deficit in the 47th minute before Mikel Merino reacted well to score after Alisson tipped a shot from Martin Odegaard on to the crossbar.
Merino was then sent off for a second bookable offence when he lunged into a tackle on the edge of the Arsenal penalty area after losing possession. But the Gunners still managed to hold out to earn a point and end a run of three straight defeats.
The big talking point arrived shortly after the hour-mark for the home side. Trent Alexander-Arnold made his first appearance for Liverpool since announcing that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season, and he was booed by supporters when he came on as a substitute for Conor Bradley.
Acknowledging that the first half performance was unacceptable, Arteta said: “Very far off it, really upset. We had a reaction; I hate reaction, I like action – especially when we want to be there winning trophies.”
Reflecting on if the reaction after the break made up for the first half performance, the Arsenal boss was clearly frustrated following another red card. He said: “I think it makes it worse because you miss half of the team again and we’ve done it for nine months. And you’re going to still, after two-nil at Anfield, like any other team will do, we play the way that we play.
“We come back, maybe should have won it, and at the end maybe lose it again for something that was in our hands for sure and having to play for the sixth time in the season with 10 men.
“We want to really win it, the consistency level for 95 minutes, and I don’t like to talk about the players that are not here and the excuses. Disappointed.”
**Liverpool:** Alisson, Bradley (Alexander-Arnold, 60), Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch (Elliott, 83), Szoboszlai, Jones (Nunez, 67), Salah, Diaz (Jota, 79), Gakpo (Mac Allister, 66)
**Substitutes not used:** Kelleher, Quansah, Endo, Tsimikas
**Arsenal:** Raya, White (Calafiori, 78), Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Merino (sent off, 79), Odegaard, Saka (Zinchenko, 88), Trossard (Tierney, 78), Martinelli
**Substitutes not used:** Neto, Butler-Oyedeji, Henry-Francis, Nwaneri, Sterling, Timber