Arsenal and Liverpool was a 0-0 stalemate. Photo: Liverpool / X
Arsenal have missed a chance to pull eight points clear in the Premier League after being stifled in a 0-0 home draw with Liverpool.
Disappointing for so much of their title defence this season, Liverpool put in a polished display at Emirates Stadium to bring an end to Arsenal’s five-match winning run in the league.
The closest either team came to scoring was when Liverpool right back Conor Bradley chipped David Raya after a mix-up between the Arsenal goalkeeper and centre back William Saliba, only for the ball to rebound off the crossbar.
Arsenal had just four shots on target all match and looked unusually disjointed, leading to frustration among the home supporters.
Still, they have plenty to be happy about. Arsenal ended the latest round how it started with a six-point lead over both second-place Manchester City and third-place Aston Villa.
With 17 games left, the Gunners remain strong favourites to clinch a first league title since 2004.
City and Villa both drew matches on Wednesday, against Brighton and Crystal Palace, respectively.
Liverpool stayed in fourth place and extended their unbeaten streak in the league to 10 matches.
Defensively, the champions have tightened up but they still lacked a spark up front without injured strikers Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, and with Mohamed Salah away with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.
A big negative for Liverpool was the sight of the injury-prone Bradley getting carried off on a stretcher in second-half stoppage time with an apparent ankle issue.
Real Madrid have booked a Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona after beating city rivals Atletico Madrid, with early goals from Federico Valverde and Rodrygo either side of halftime setting them on course for victory.
Xabi Alonso’s side will face Barcelona on Sunday in Jeddah in a repeat of last year’s final, which their bitter rivals won, after the Catalans eased past Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday.
Real Madrid struck 75 seconds into the game when captain Valverde unleashed a powerful free kick from 25 yards out into the top corner, with goalkeeper Jan Oblak only able to get a faint touch. Real extended their advantage 10 minutes into the second half when Rodrygo latched onto an incisive pass from Valverde, broke clear of his marker and calmly side-footed past Oblak.
* Additional reporting from Reuters.
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