Arsenal still in control of title race, Liverpool need improvements

Arsenal missed the chance to move eight points clear at the top of the Premier League after being held to a 0-0 draw by champions Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners largely dominated the first half, but Reds defender Conor Bradley went close to scoring at both ends when he hit the crossbar after 27 minutes following a mix-up between Arsenal duo William Saliba and David Raya.

Liverpool, playing without a recognized centre-forward as Hugo Ekitike was absent through injury, improved after the break without creating any significant openings.

Florian Wirtz went down in the box under a tackle from Leandro Trossard, but no penalty was awarded after a brief VAR review.

Dominik Szoboszlai settled August’s reverse tie with a magnificent free-kick, and he threatened to repeat the feat as the match entered the final ten minutes, grazing the roof of the net with a long-range effort, but neither team could find the breakthrough.

Bradley was stretchered off in stoppage time following a tackle by Gabriel Martinelli. The Brazilian then appeared to push Bradley off the field, sparking an angry exchange between players from both teams.

The result means Arsenal now hold a six-point lead over Manchester City and Aston Villa, separated by goal difference. — James Olley

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Arsenal increase their lead, but not to eight

Arsenal then find themselves in a curious situation as they have restored their lead at the top of the table, but will likely be disappointed by the six-point gap.

They had a glorious chance to make it eight clear following Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion 24 hours earlier, and those who arrived at the Emirates Stadium did so in anticipation of victory against the struggling champions.

A pre-match video and light show greeted the players on the pitch as the Gunners attempted to whip the crowd into a frenzy on a freezing night beset by pouring rain, but their team never really got going.

Bukayo Saka caused problems for Liverpool left-back Milos Kerkez on the right, but goalkeeper Alisson was not forced into a meaningful save. They finished with an expected goals figure of just 0.52 on nine shots. Liverpool’s was 0.36. Arteta became more agitated in the second half – he was booked late for constantly leaving his technical area – and the full-time whistle was met with muted applause.

They are where they want to be, but Arsenal had the opportunity to make City pay for their recent stutter and did not exploit it to the fullest. – Olley

Liverpool are solid but lack avant-garde

Liverpool are still winless in 2026 and, once again against Arsenal, Slot’s side failed to convince as an attacking force, recording an xG of just 0.36.

Their lack of attacking threat is consistent with recent performances and something that certainly needs to improve in the coming months, although the Reds will hope the imminent return of Ekitike and Mohamed Salah will help them in this area.

But crucially, Liverpool limited Arsenal to an xG of just 0.57 – with Alisson rarely troubled in the visitors’ goal. After scoring 10 goals in the space of three games in November, Slot has strengthened his side’s defense impressively, and their performance against Arsenal should provide a defensive blueprint for the future.

Finding that balance between offense and defense is one of the biggest puzzles Slot will have to solve in the coming weeks. -Beth Lindop

Liverpool show they need reinforcements

The current gap in quality between Arsenal and Liverpool was best highlighted before a ball was even kicked at the Emirates. While the hosts’ bench was filled with a wide range of talent, including summer acquisitions Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, Liverpool’s most experienced attacking threat was Federico Chiesa, who has played just 228 minutes in the top flight this season.

Certainly, injuries don’t help Liverpool’s cause. Ekitike failed to be ready in time for Thursday’s match, while Salah will return from the Africa Cup of Nations later this month.

But, with England’s record signing Alexander Isak expected to be out for several months with a broken shin and ankle and centre-back Giovanni Leoni expected to be out of action until next season, Liverpool could really benefit from reinforcements in defense and attack.

Despite their big summer spending, the champions lack the depth of their Premier League rivals, a problem which was only exacerbated by the sight of right-back Bradley being carted off the field in stoppage time. A few new additions this month could help breathe life into their campaign against stuttering. — Lindop

Another difficult evening for Gyökeres

This makes ten games without a goal in open play for Viktor Gyökeres. Arteta will continue to argue that Gyökeres does a lot for the team besides scoring goals, but the truth is there was little evidence of that on Thursday.

He had just eight touches in 64 minutes on the pitch, none between the 11th and 40th minutes, and just one after halftime. This is the lowest figure in his entire debut at the club. There were at least two dangerous crosses that a team might have expected their powerful center forward to be on at the end, but Gyökeres was nowhere to be found.

There are mitigating factors – a difficult pre-season awaiting his transfer, injuries and the fact that Arsenal have not always managed to attack collectively despite being top of the table – but at some point Arteta may have to look elsewhere, at least temporarily, for someone to lead his attack.

Gabriel Jesus is fit again, while Mikel Merino is available and Kai Havertz’s return from knee surgery is imminent. Gyökeres surely didn’t become a bad player overnight – 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting CP is a stunning record and worthy of respect – but the wait for improvement in an Arsenal shirt continues. — Olley

A hard-earned point gives Slot a boost

When Liverpool beat Arsenal at Anfield in late August, the victory contributed to Arne Slot being named Premier League Manager of the Month.

The Dutchman arrived in north London on Thursday evening under very different circumstances, with frustration growing among fans after a series of listless performances. Even though Liverpool failed to secure victory for the Emirates, his performance should certainly help boost Slot’s reputation in the eyes of the fans.

Few gave the champions a chance to take anything from the team that looks set to steal their crown this season, but their commitment and, in the second half, their genuine quality against Mikel Arteta’s side provided a timely reminder that they were still a match for anyone in their era.

Although Slot still has work to do to restore the verve and audacity that propelled his players to the title last season, it is clear that the locker room remains unified and that the ingredients for success remain. — Lindop