Liverpool away end gesture at Arsenal speaks volumes as Arne Slot continues run

Could a draw against a title contender be seen as a missed chance?

This is a question that Arne Slot and his Liverpool team would likely have been pondering as they made their way to the team bus deep within the confines of the Emirates after an afternoon of varied emotions for the away side.

Ultimately, the overriding sentiment will be one of positivity after the Reds twice rallied from behind at a ground where, in the past two seasons, they have disappointingly fallen short in the Premier League.

This was certainly the atmosphere among the travelling away fans after Mohamed Salah’s equaliser in the 81st minute ensured Liverpool were rewarded for their significantly improved performance in the second half. Slot’s customary post-match thumbs up towards the travelling Kop was a clear sign of satisfaction with the task accomplished.

However, with Arsenal finishing the match without three of their regular defenders, there may be some disappointment at not having exploited this more to challenge the makeshift home defence in the final moments.

Nonetheless, perspective is needed, especially following a lacklustre first half in which the Reds arguably delivered their poorest 45 minutes under Slot. The quest for control seemed to translate into a lack of intensity, although, to be fair, it was no different from recent league visits under former manager Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool’s determination was unquestionable, twice rallying from a deficit and gradually gaining control of the game that, despite objections from Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, wasn’t dominated by the home side.

The draw favoured Manchester City the reigning champions have now overtaken the Reds to lead by one point at the top and halted Slot’s record-breaking streak of six consecutive away victories at the start of a Liverpool season. However, it marked progress towards another positive outcome on the road against their long-standing rivals.

Securing four points from six at Old Trafford and the Emirates, as has already been accomplished under the Reds’ management, is always considered a satisfactory result.

There were noticeable lapses throughout the team during the first half, during which Arsenal, although not at their peak, deserved their lead at half-time.

Liverpool’s midfield was particularly worrisome. Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones, who were playing slightly different roles this time, started at the Emirates for the second consecutive season but were largely overlooked in the first 45 minutes.

However, even before a weary Alexis Mac Allister was substituted for Dominik Szoboszlai just past the hour mark, Liverpool had begun to gain the upper hand in the midfield battle. They continue to grow as a unit.

Andy Robertson had a challenging afternoon, being outmanoeuvred at times by Bukayo Saka and responsible for the Arsenal winger’s opening goal. However, Virgil van Dijk was once again subtly impressive in defence, contributing to his first-half equaliser, while Ibrahima Konate was Liverpool’s standout player at a venue where he had been disappointingly sent off during the final stages of February’s defeat.

Darwin Nunez also made a significant contribution, further demonstrating his understanding of the demands of a number nine under Slot. The Uruguayan’s work-rate and defensive effort in the first half, when attacking service was limited, set the stage for a second-half performance in which he played a crucial role in Salah’s equaliser.

Despite pre-match complaints about being severely understrength, it was hardly surprising when both Saka and Jurrien Timber were declared fit for Arsenal, meaning the Gunners were missing the same number of regular starters two as Liverpool.

The Gunners took the lead after just nine minutes with another addition to the growing list of poor goals Liverpool have conceded at the Emirates.

All it took was a lengthy forward punt by Ben White over the visiting defence, sending Saka darting past Robertson before cutting inside the left-back and firing in beyond Caoimhin Kelleher from a closer range than the goalkeeper should have allowed.

Liverpool equalised at 18 minutes. Shortly after Salah nearly capitalised on a Mikel Merino error by curling wide, a left-wing corner delivery from Trent Alexander-Arnold was flicked on by Luis Diaz at the near post and Van Dijk stretched to head home.

However, this did little to elevate the overall performance of the visitors, even though Arsenal were largely restricted to ambitious long-range shots by Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

Nonetheless, Liverpool’s inability to stop conceding soft fouls in good crossing positions led to Arsenal’s second goal two minutes before half-time, with Declan Rice curling in from a deep right position and Merino’s header deemed onside following a VAR check.

When an injured Gabriel joined the suspended William Saliba on the sidelines nine minutes into the second half, the momentum shifted towards the visitors.

But while Diaz scuffed an effort against the outside of the post after a good run, it wasn’t until late on that Salah drew them level, tapping in Nunez’s low pass after the Uruguayan had been released down the inside right channel by Alexander-Arnold’s excellent ball over the top.

After scraping a victory at home against Chelsea last weekend, Liverpool has successfully overcome another significant challenge, maintaining their momentum. What began as a promising start is on the verge of developing into an impressive season.