A top-of-the-table clash between Arsenal and Liverpool had everything we're used to seeing in a traditional Big Six game - goals, aggression and a sprinkle of drama.
Arsenal scored two through a killer shot from Bukayo Saka and a well-taken header from Mikel Merino, while Liverpool's two - both equalisers - came through a set-piece that was headed in by Virgil van Dijk and a late-game finish from Mohamed Salah.
Story of the game:
Arsenal and Liverpool each made three changes from their previous Premier League games against Bournemouth and Chelsea respectively.
Arsenal’s starting eleven saw the return of two players, Bukayo Saka and Jurriën Timber, in place of Raheem Sterling and Riccardo Calafiori. Both had picked up short-term injuries - Saka while on international duty with England and Timber in the Gunners’ Champions League game versus Paris-Saint Germain.
A suspended William Saliba put Gabriel Martinelli back into to the lineup, while Ben White filled in at center-back for the vacant Frenchman.
For Liverpool, an injury picked up by Diego Jota meant Darwin Núñez replaced him as the Reds’ striker, whereas Luis Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister slotted in for Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai.
The first half was 45 minutes full of drama - and the game got off to a hot start.
It was a standard Liverpool high press in action at the start of the match, but home team Arsenal who scored first - opening their count in only eight minutes after a fantastic pass from Ben White, which found Saka on the right flank. Saka controlled his first touch well, nutmegging Andy Robertson before performing a clinical near post finish and smashing the ball past Caomhin Kelleher with the Irish goalkeeper too slow to react.
A chance for the away side came next, thanks to a Mohamed Salah attempt flying just wide despite a poorly positioned Raya. Liverpool wouldn’t have to wait much longer for their goal, though, as a corner set-piece found its way to Luis Diaz, with the Colombian setting up a header which came the way of Virgil Van Dijk - the Reds’ number 4 levelling the game at one goal apiece.
The pendulum swung back in Arsenal’s favor for the next couple attempts in the game, a Mikel Merino header carrying wide, soon followed by a Saka finish that went far over the net.
There were shouts for a penalty to be given next - Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté made contact with Martinelli in the box - but both the referee Anthony Taylor and VAR waved the appeals off.
Bar a chance from Martinelli in the 35th minute, the rest of the half looked like it would be a lackluster affair. However, a free-kick chance for the Gunners in the 43rd minute would divert these expectations. Midfielder Mikel Merino managed to jump higher than the rest to latch on to the end of a Declan Rice cross and make the score 2-1 to Arsenal, after a VAR check confirmed the midfielder was onside.
Just before the end of the half, Liverpool had a shot on goal via Alexis Mac Allister - stopped by a confident claim from Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, putting any equalizing opportunity to bed.
Half-time came with home fans content and the travelling Scousers hungry to see more from their team. It was both an impressive half for Arteta's men and returning hero Saka - and more headlines were to be made in the second half.
The headlines made, however, were not to the benefits of Arsenal or its’ fans - setting the tone as center-back Gabriel Magalhães came down with an injury within the first ten minutes of the half. The Brazilian was replaced by Jakub Kiwior, and the game was now more in a state of damage control for the Gunners rather than attempting to get a third.
Without either first-choice central defender on the field, Arsenal looked weaker than usual. Liverpool took full advantage of this scenario, relentlessly attacking Arsenal's third of the pitch as the home side attempted to find their feet again.
Despite chances for Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones, Liverpool struggled to generate high quality attempts on target - the Reds' xG up until the 70th minute a mere 0.47 - and a resilient Gunners' defense were keeping their opposition at bay.
The match was starting to become end-to-end and a goal was looking imminent, with the question being which team would score. This was answered with only nine minutes to go, a counter-attack launched by Liverpool resulting in a goal for their main man Mohamed Salah. Poor defending by Arsenal allowed Núñez to deliver a simple pass to Salah, the Egyptian winger rolling the ball past Raya and into the Arsenal net.
Arsenal's substitutions throughout the closing 45 minutes of the game were indicators that the home side wanted a victory - Kiwior, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Jesus all came on - and the final moments of the game saw the Gunners come close.
Gabriel Jesus found the end of a Havertz cross that resulted in a corner in the 86th minute, and this sustained pressure led to what seemed to be a goal.
A poorly timed blow of the whistle from the referee saw a Havertz delivery into the back of the net overruled - the play stopped thanks to a collision between Kiwior and Szoboszlai. The late timing of the whistle caused ruckus in the crowd, with Arsenal fans furious over a potential game-winner being taken away from them.
There would be a final moment of controversy in the dwindling seconds of extra time, with Arsenal players' calls for a corner ignored in favor of a goal kick awarded to Liverpool.
With the game ending 2-2, this result sees Manchester City move to the top of the table following their 1-0 win against Southampton - the Premier League's top three now standing at City on 23 points, Liverpool on 22 and Arsenal on 18.
"Going two times behind against a very strong and good Arsenal team and then to get a point is pleasing to see, especially because we had to play an away game in Europe this week."
Liverpool manager Arne Slot on his side's performance
VAVEL USA's Man of the Match
Bukayo Saka. Perhaps Declan Rice was more impressive on paper, but it's obvious just how different Arsenal play when their most important player takes the field. It was Saka's fantastic finish that saw Arsenal go 1-0 up, and there aren't many players in the league who could score that chance in the way Saka did. He was also a net positive on the defensive end as usual, winning seven of his nine duels.
Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk was brilliant in build-up with four out of nine long balls delivered accurately, crucial on the attacking end thanks to scoring his side's opening goal and dominant as usual while defending, winning seven out of the ten duels he contested.
"After a few weeks off, the way he played and competed was exceptional."
Mikel Arteta on Bukayo Saka's performance after returning from injury
What's next?
Arsenal and Liverpool will both take part in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup - the Gunners heading to Deepdale to face Preston North End and Liverpool travelling to Brighton in an all-Premier League tie.
The two games will be on the same day, Wednesday 30th September, with Liverpool's matchup kicking off at 3:30pm ET/12:30pm PT and Preston vs. Arsenal starting 15 minutes later at 3:45pm ET/12:45pm PT. The fourth round of the Carabao Cup can be watched on cable with CBS and streamed on Paramount+.
