Key stats
- Liverpool failed to attempt a shot on target in this game; it's the first time they failed to attempt a shot on target in a game in the Premier League since facing Wigan Athletic in March 2010.
- Arsenal have kept a clean sheet in 10 of their 21 games, more than any other in the Premier League this season.
- Liverpool are undefeated in their last nine games in the Premier League; their last longer unbeaten streak was from September 21st, 2024, to April 2nd, 2025, a run of 26 games.
Highlights
Analysis
Dominik Szoboszlai was arguably the most influential player on the pitch, taking the most shots and having a significant impact in the middle.
Arsenal were dominant in the first half, although Liverpool enjoyed better prolonged spells in the second.
Match report
This was a match-up between the champions-elect and the title holders, as Mikel Arteta’s side looked to strengthen their stranglehold at the summit after Manchester City’s two dropped points on Wednesday night.
They smelt blood early on here, with Bukayo Saka giving Liverpool’s defence a torrid time down the right. The England forward cut inside off the flank and forced Alisson into a low save for his first sight of goal.
However, that confident start was almost sabotaged when William Saliba’s backpass caught out David Raya, and Conor Bradley almost capitalised with an attempted chip which cannoned off the bar.
Arne Slot’s men stood firm for the remainder of the half, and Milos Kerkez epitomised their defensive resolve with a superb block to deny Saka from inside the box in an admirable rearguard effort.
Florian Wirtz looked to engineer an opener shortly after the restart when he brilliantly maneuvered his way into the box, and had a penalty shout turned down after Leandro Trossard stepped across the German’s path.
It was a promising spell for the visitors, and Arsenal’s inauspicious start to the second half was compounded by Piero Hincapié injury-enforced exit just shy of the hour mark.
Slot’s side were gaining belief, and Jeremie Frimpong was causing problems for Hincapié’s replacement Myles Lewis-Skelly without finding that elusive killer ball to orchestrate a clear-cut opportunity.
Dominik Szoboszlai was at the heart of Liverpool's second-half renaissance with a flurry of long-range efforts and neat intricate passes, as Arsenal struggles to match their first-half intensity continued.
Szoboszlai came closer still to getting Liverpool off the mark when his free-kick from a central position grazed the roof of the net.
Despite the Hungarian’s efforts, there was nothing to separate the two sides at the Emirates in a gritty performance which will please Slot and the travelling Liverpool supporters making the long journey back to Merseyside.
The Reds are now unbeaten in 10 games across all competitions (W5, D5) to consolidate their position in fourth.
The Gunners could've won it at the death but Gabriel headed wide from a last-gasp corner, moving them six points clear of Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola’s side and Aston Villa still within striking range.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool)
Post-match comments
Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai to Sky Sports: "We faced an unbelievable team. We showed again why we became champions last season.
"This was a step forward after recent weeks and, yeah, we showed again against a team that is top of the table we can compete and we need to take it with us for the next weeks."
"I think it's always about fight because in the Premier League you have to fight to get results and today each of us, everybody, showed we are able to do it.
"We have to keep on going and work as hard as we did today."
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to Sky Sports: "We know that the margins are very small. I think we have two different halves.
"The first one, where we have a lot of domination, created big situations with players almost onside the six-yard box to pick a player up, and we didn't find the right pass to score the goal. And the second half was a bit more of a struggle.
"We have some moments where we have the right positional advantages to really hurt them, and then when we got into these areas, we lacked quality to pick the players.
"We've come from a very demanding schedule. The last six games that we've played in this Christmas period, and we've come out of that in a really strong position."
Liverpool boss Arne Slot to Sky Sports: "In the first half they were the team that played most in our half, it led to moments of crosses but not big chances.
"In the second half, it was exactly the opposite, where we dominated the ball possession for almost the whole 45 minutes in their half.
"The only thing that missed, maybe from my side, or our team, was, again, for all the ball possession, all the moments around the box, you're hoping to create even more chances.
"But against an Arsenal team that have great momentum to put up a performance like this is something I'm positive about."