!Arsenal defeats Liverpool to retake the league’s top spot

October 9, 2022

Arsenal entered the game in good spirits after winning 8 of their previous 9 league games and sought to increase their margin of victory at the top of the standings.

!Arsenal – Liverpool played on 10/10/2022

At the Emirates, it was the guests who got things going. Arsenal had to wait for the ball as they tentatively started passing it around the back. And they didn’t turn around once they passed past Saliba after 40 seconds. The ball was moved to Saka on the right, then to Odegaard in the middle, who slid in a charging Martinelli, who slipped past a motionless and narrow Alexander-Arnold.

With a shot that slammed into the goal with force, the Brazilian made no mistakes. Within one minute, Arsenal had the lead.
Throughout the first half, Arsenal remained focused on closing off Liverpool’s passing routes while working hard. As he continually dropped back to scan Liverpool’s alternatives, Xhaka’s engine was outstanding. In order to stop the onslaught on Mo Salah, Tomiyasu was also essential.
However, as the game went on, Liverpool maintained possession and began to open up spaces with their variety of passing and movement. With an attack that breached the defense, Liverpool scored their first goal in the 30th minute.

First Half

Gabriel tried to clear the ball, but Nunez received it along the inside left channel. Nunez only needed to tap in response as Luis Diaz raced up behind and pulled him back. 1-1 Liverpool
Arsenal had trouble handling the ball. Thiago and Henderson were in command of the park’s core, so Thomas wasn’t quite as powerful as he could be. All Arsenal fans would have been pleased if the Gunners had recovered as the first half came to a close and if both teams had started the second half on an equal basis.

The Arsenal, though, had not finished. In the final minute, they successfully blocked a free kick taken from the midfield line. Martinelli led the assault on the left as they cleared the ball. Henderson was on his back foot as he drove into space. Gabriel and Saka participated in the counterattack from the defense and watched the pullback.
Alexander-Arnold erred by leaving the center to help Henderson knock Martinelli to the ground, but it was too late. The Brazilian squared the ball so that Saka could tap it in after Gabriel faked it. 2-1 Saka

Second Half

The second half saw Arsenal continue to exert their authority. Martinelli and Jesus exerted more effort and were more aggressive in their runs, pressuring, and tackles. The squad saw that Odegaard frequently directed play.
And just as it seemed like Arsenal had the situation under control, Liverpool struck back against the flow of play. Jota picked up the ball in the inside channel and saw Firmino’s deft move. A through pass opened up the defense, allowing Firmino to find himself with a clear shot from the left. 2-2 Liverpool.

Xhaka frequently received room to cross into the penalty area from the left side for his teammates. Liverpool didn’t give up until Thiago kicked the back of Jesus’ leg on the third attempt in a succession, resulting in a penalty. Saka slotted the penalty into the bottom corner with utter coolness. 3-2 Saka
Odegaard was replaced by Tierney as Arsenal finished the game, changing the formation to a back five. Despite appearing conservative on paper, the home team managed to maintain possession because to Tomiyasu’s ball movement and the positioning of both full backs up high.

A lot of credit should also go to Jesus, who was everywhere from pressing Van Dijk to get a corner in stoppage time to denying a risky cross at the back.
The Gunner persevered as winners thanks to its spirit.
Stop making jokes about how Arsenal hasn’t yet faced a strong opponent. With Liverpool eliminated, there are now teams at the top of the standings that have won 9 of their last 10 league games.