Arsenal hoped for a decisive statement, but there’s little to discuss regarding their 0-0 draw with Liverpool—beyond the incident involving Gabriel Martinelli’s unsportsmanlike conduct. It was striking that Arne Slot’s players didn’t retaliate more fiercely after Martinelli shoved an obviously injured Conor Bradley off the field.
The match mirrored the one from August, lacking only a decisive moment or any significant creativity.
Advertisement
Despite a generally positive Christmas period for Arsenal, the atmosphere felt damp and gloomy, reminiscent of a drizzly January night. Yet, the home fans can take comfort in their improvement over the past month, maintaining a solid six-point lead.
Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, seemed too inclined to relinquish control, which might bring some solace to Slot.
This marked Arsenal’s third consecutive draw, yet it felt distinct from the previous two.
If Arsenal aims to secure the title, it will be notable that they’ve yet to defeat last season’s champions in league play. Liverpool has managed to secure four points against them in two matches where both sides displayed a significant degree of caution toward one another, despite their documented rivalry.
Advertisement
That tension possibly manifested in Martinelli’s regrettable action, but there’s no justification for it. This incident may spark further debate and controversy, although Slot sought to defuse the situation by empathetically aligning himself with the Brazilian. The Liverpool manager pointed out that time-wasting is a widespread issue in football, suggesting that in the heat of the moment, players might misinterpret situations that they perceive as frustrating—even if Martinelli’s actions clearly weren’t warranted.
“You cannot expect Martinelli to think clearly in the 94th minute,” Slot stated.
Martinelli was penalized for moving Liverpool’s injured full-back off the pitch (PA Wire)
Liverpool managed to demonstrate their quality without truly capitalizing, while Arsenal were stifled in their play. The visitors controlled much of the second half.
Advertisement
Ultimately, the match offered little excitement or noteworthy developments, despite the high expectations.
Moreover, a key talking point arises around Viktor Gyokeres, who fans believe should contribute more offensively.
Arsenal may still control their fate, but doubts linger regarding their forward line and Arteta’s forthcoming decisions.
How long will he continue to support Gyokeres?
With Gabriel Jesus returning to the pitch with renewed vigor each match, his energy starkly contrasts with the relative sluggishness of Gyokeres. Meanwhile, Kai Havertz is expected to return on Sunday.
Jesus has shown to be a significantly more effective option than Gyokeres (John Walton/PA Wire)
There’s even a compelling argument that midfielder Mikel Merino could currently be a more valuable addition to the lineup.
Advertisement
It’s challenging not to suspect that Gyokeres might soon find himself benched, which could be more beneficial for Arsenal than having him trailing behind swift moves in the box.
This doesn’t mean he should be dismissed outright—he’s still adjusting to the demands of the Premier League and hasn’t fully acclimatized.
Nonetheless, speed seems to be a critical issue.
In the first half, there were three significant opportunities where one would expect a striker of his caliber to excel.
Gyokeres was largely ineffective against Liverpool (John Walton/PA Wire)
One involved a header back from Jurrien Timber, another a layoff from Saka, and the last a cross from Leandro Trossard.
Advertisement
Yet, in each instance, Gyokeres found himself about five yards off the pace.
He was substituted in the 64th minute after managing just eight touches.
If he had displayed just a fraction more urgency for even one of those situations, he might have tallied a goal.
Despite his struggles, Gyokeres did create one worthwhile moment with a clever reverse pass for Timber. Arsenal registered no shots until the 90th minute, but this underperformance wasn’t solely attributable to the attacking setup.
Arsenal only managed a shot in the second half in the 90th minute (John Walton/PA Wire)
Arteta appeared to urge his team to adopt a more defensive approach.
This was particularly surprising given Liverpool’s own struggles in attack, which are more understandable considering three of their key forwards were sidelined and they fielded a player who typically plays as a left wing-back up front.
Advertisement
While Liverpool began to assert control in the second half, they struggled to make progress forward.
They lacked the individual brilliance and cohesion necessary for effective attacks.
Florian Wirtz frequently found himself exasperated as Liverpool’s movements often failed to involve him.
Wirtz showed visible frustration as Liverpool’s attacks faltered (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
In many ways, this is a bigger concern for Slot. His squad seems unable to develop a cohesive style and now relies too heavily on moments of individual brilliance.
The contrast between the previous Liverpool and their current iteration was evident in set-piece execution; back in August, Dominik Szoboszlai struck a stunning 30-yard free-kick that found the net, whereas this time it sailed into the stands.
Advertisement
Wayward and inconsistent, Liverpool’s efforts mirrored much of their current trajectory—disappointing.
While they did come closer with another attempt that was closer to the goal, too often they failed to convert opportunities into shots on target.
Arsenal couldn’t even manage a shot from one of their late set pieces, with the final whistle sounding just after Gabriel directed a header wide.
Even the concluding moments felt underwhelming.