Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka set a new goalscoring milestone for the Gunners with an early goal in their 2-2 Premier League draw against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium. The two title contenders now sit below Manchester City after Matchday 9 of the 2024/25 Premier League season.
Despite missing Friday’s training as he recovered from a hamstring injury he picked up on international duty, Saka passed a fitness test on Sunday morning, allowing him to start against Arne Slot’s Reds. Just nine minutes into the game, Saka made an impact, connecting with a precise long pass from Ben White (standing in place of suspended William Saliba), turning past Andy Robertson, and striking powerfully past Caoimhin Kelleher at the near post. The Gunners have opened the scoring against Liverpool in their last four encounters and Saka made sure it became a tradition with his powerful strike.
With this goal, Saka recorded his 50th Premier League goal for Arsenal, becoming the youngest Gunner to reach that tally at 23 years and 52 days, surpassing Thierry Henry’s record. This was Saka’s fourth goal of the season across all competitions, and third in the Premier League. He put in a wonderful and commanding performance for Mikel Arteta’s side, winning seven of nine duels as Liverpool’s defenders struggled to contain him. The England international now has 62 goals and 60 assists from 237 senior appearances for Arsenal.
However, Arsenal couldn’t immediately capitalize on Saka’s opener, as Virgil van Dijk equalized for Liverpool with a header from a corner nine minutes later. Both teams have rivaled Manchester City for the longest time, coming close to breaking City’s long-stretching hold on the Premier League title in the last three seasons. Their strength in set pieces remains elite. No team has scored more goals from set-pieces than Arsenal and Liverpool this season.
Shortly after Liverpool’s equalizer, Arsenal responded to Liverpool’s set-piece goal with one of their own, as Declan Rice’s pinpoint free-kick allowed Mikel Merino to head in his first goal for Mikel Arteta’s side. Arsenal’s first-half dominance was evident, but injuries to Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber left them looking vulnerable in the second half.
With ten minutes till full-time, Liverpool eventually broke through Arteta’s makeshift defense which featured Ben White, Thomas Partey, Jakub Kiwior, and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Mohamed Salah was on the scoresheet again against another “Big Six” team – Arsenal, from a quick transition that saw Darwin Nunez pass finished brilliantly by the Egyptian. Arsenal substitute Gabriel Jesus thought he’d scored a late winner, only to see the goal disallowed, and he received a booking in stoppage time after disputing a decision not to award Arsenal a corner.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the Hale End graduate said Arsenal is disappointed with their inability to perform at the highest level against their League rivals, especially when they had the lead in both halves. “Disappointed, credit to Liverpool. We feel like we didn’t show our best selves for 45 minutes. In the first half, we showed our qualities, gave them nothing and they scored from a set piece. I can’t think of another chance they had. Second half we weren’t at our best. “They had more momentum, won more duels, kept more possession, and naturally momentum goes to them and we have to defend.”
The draw leaves Liverpool in second place, just a point behind defending Champions Manchester City who saw off Southampton with a 1-0 win on Saturday. Arsenal on the other hand reclaims third place and five points behind the League leaders. Mikel Arteta’s team is in their last two Premier League encounters after a painful defeat to Bournemouth on Matchday 8. The North London Reds started strong in the League this season with hopes of ending their 20-year wait to become English football Champions, their current results make it clear that the team is in for a long one to make their dreams actualize.
More Injury Concerns for Mikel Arteta as Gabriel is Forced out of Liverpool’s Game with a Leg Injury
Arsenal’s injury troubles deepened on Sunday evening as Gabriel Magalhaes was forced off just 10 minutes into the second half (55 min) of their match against Liverpool. The defender appeared to sustain a leg injury shortly after halftime in a challenge with Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez. After receiving medical help on the pitch, Gabriel eventually signaled he couldn’t continue after further Liverpool pressure.
It’s a big blow to Mikel Arteta who was seen looking down in frustration as Jakub Kiwior prepared to replace the injured defender. Gabriel’s usually partnered at center-back, with William Saliba, who was absent after being sent off in last week’s loss to Bournemouth. Arsenal chose not to appeal the direct red card following its nature, resulting in Saliba missing the Liverpool clash and the next two games. Gabriel’s exit marked a turning point in the match, allowing Liverpool to swiss in a counter-attacking play that got them the equalizer late in the second half.
Before the game, Arteta was already dealing with a mounting injury list that included captain Martin Odegaard, Kieran Tierney, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Oleksandr Zinchenko. The current crisis with Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber will be detrimental to their defense in the coming games. Speaking to the press about their exits during the game, the Gunners coach said: “I don’t know [what the injury is] but he can’t run. I don’t know if it was his knee or his ankle. He is being assessed right now.”
On Jurrien Timber’s exit from the game with similar concerns: “I think we’ve done everything we could to accelerate that process. He was so willing. The team and the medical staff have done a great job. We gave ourselves the chance to compete. “I don’t know the extent of the injury if there is one. The same with big Gabi.”
What’s Next for the Gunners
Arsenal is gearing up for another demanding stretch of matches that will see them competing simultaneously across England and Europe. Mikel Arteta will need to balance his squad depth and game-winning strategies to maintain the momentum they have shown since the start of the season.
With key fixtures lined up in both domestic and European competitions, Arsenal supporters will be eager to see if their team can continue its push on all fronts. From intense Premier League clashes to crucial Champions League games, every game is important as Arsenal aims to break its Premier League title drought and make history in the Champions League.
The upcoming fixtures include high-stakes games against Premier League rivals and challenging European nights, beginning with their League Cup game away to Preston North End. Arteta will likely make big changes in rotating the squad ahead of the trio of games against Newcastle, Inter Milan, and city rivals Chelsea.
As they dive into November and December, Arsenal will face multiple tough games away from the Emirates, which could be decisive in shaping their season. Here’s a look at Arsenal’s upcoming schedule:
Preston North End vs Arsenal, Carabao Cup, Wednesday 30th October, 19:45
Newcastle United vs Arsenal, Premier League, Saturday 2nd November, 12:30
Inter Milan vs Arsenal, UEFA Champions League, Wednesday 6th November, 20:00
Chelsea vs Arsenal, Premier League, Sunday 10th November, 16:30
Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest, Premier League, Saturday 23rd November, 15:00
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal, UEFA Champions League, Tuesday 26th November, 20:00
West Ham United vs Arsenal, Premier League, Saturday 30th November, 17:30
Arsenal vs Manchester United, Premier League, Wednesday 4th December, 20:15
Fulham vs Arsenal, Premier League, Sunday 8th December, 14:00
Arsenal vs Monaco, UEFA Champions League, Wednesday 11th December, 20:00
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