Arsenal secure a point at Anfield, which makes them the top Premier League side at Christmas 2023. We bring you the need-to-know facts from today’s Premier League match at Anfield with our Liverpool vs Arsenal stats page.
The most eagerly anticipated game of the Premier League season so far ended level, with Arsenal’s point against Liverpool at Anfield securing their spot as the leading side on Christmas Day 2023.
Arsenal flew out of the blocks and opened the scoring after three minutes and 27 seconds – their earliest ever goal in the Premier League at Anfield. It was yet another strike from a set-piece for the Gunners, with Martin Ødegaard’s enticing cross finding the reliable head of Gabriel Magalhães.
That strike was Arsenal’s 11th goal from a set-piece (excluding penalties) in the Premier League this season, which is a league-high tally alongside Everton. Meanwhile, Gabriel’s goal was his 11th in the competition since signing for the London side in September 2020 – no defender has as many in that timeframe. But that would be Arsenal’s final shot on target of the match.
Liverpool worked their way back into the game and eventually found a leveller in the 28th minute via a common source, Mohamed Salah. Found by a superb long pass by Trent Alexander-Arnold, Salah was allowed to come inside by Oleksandr Zinchenko before he fired an unstoppable shot past David Raya in the Arsenal goal.
That was Salah’s 121st Premier League goal involvement (88 goals, 33 assists) in 120 appearances at Anfield, the outright most of any player for the Reds, overtaking Steven Gerrard (120). Credit must be given to Alexander-Arnold for his NFL-quarterback-style find for Salah, with the England international collecting his 57th Premier League assist and moving alongside teammate Andy Robertson for the most in the competition by a defender in its 31-year history.
After a brilliant opening half hour, most honest neutrals will have found the hour that followed a disappointment as both sides largely cancelled one another out. Alexander-Arnold should really have put Liverpool in the lead in the 72nd minute after being set up by Salah on a dangerous counter-attack, but his rasping strike slammed off the bar and Arsenal were let off the hook. That would be the last chance of note for either side in the match, as the game petered out.
This point was enough to keep Arsenal top of the Premier League at Christmas for the second successive year. History hasn’t been kind to them when they’ve led the league on Xmas Day, however, with the Gunners failing to go on and win the league in each of the last five seasons that they’ve been top on Christmas Day. The last time that they won the league after being top on 25 December was back in 1947-48.
Without even playing this matchday, Manchester City would have felt like this weekend was the most positive of the title rivals, with Aston Villa, Liverpool and Arsenal only managing to add a single point each while they were away in Saudi Arabia winning the FIFA Club World Cup. If they win their game in hand versus Brentford, then it would take them within three of the trio. The 2023-24 Premier League title race looks set to be one of the most exciting for a long time.
Liverpool vs Arsenal Timeline
Liverpool vs Arsenal Post-Match Facts
- After this draw, Arsenal will spend Christmas Day top of the English top-flight table in two consecutive years for just a second time, after last doing so in 1932 and 1933.
- Liverpool have recovered 19 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season, more than any other side. They have lost just one league game in 2023-24 despite falling behind in 10 (W5 D4 L1 when falling behind).
- Liverpool have failed to win back-to-back Premier League games at Anfield for the first time since October 2021, when they drew with Man City and Brighton.
- After winning none, drawing two and losing seven of their nine Premier League visits to Anfield from 2013-14 to 2021-22, Arsenal have since drawn both of their last two such visits.
- In the fourth minute, Gabriel Magalhães scored Arsenal’s earliest ever Premier League goal at Anfield against Liverpool. The Gunners have scored the opening goal in three consecutive Premier League meetings with the Reds for the very first time.
- Liverpool’s Mo Salah scored his 10th Premier League goal against Arsenal, his joint-most against a single opponent (Man Utd & West Ham also 10). The Egyptian now has 121 Premier League goal involvements at Anfield (88 goals, 33 assists), a record by a player at the ground in the competition, surpassing Steven Gerrard (120 – 69 goals, 51 assists).
- Trent Alexander-Arnold recorded his 57th Premier League assist, the joint-most by a defender in the competition’s history, alongside teammate Andy Robertson. Seven of these have been against Arsenal, his most against a single opponent, with no player in Premier League history assisting more goals against the Gunners (Steven Gerrard also 7).
- Since his first Premier League season (2020-21), Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhães has scored more goals in the competition than any other defender (11).
Liverpool vs Arsenal Stats Centre
Our Opta match centre delivers you all the Liverpool vs Arsenal stats from Saturday’s late Premier League kick-off at Anfield.
The match centre below includes team and player stats, expected goals data, passing networks, an Opta chalkboard and more. It gives you everything you need to do your own analysis of the game.
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