Liverpool's Resilience Shines in Draw Against Arsenal
After Liverpool's 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield in November, Steven Gerrard remarked that his former team was "bleeding." That loss marked Liverpool's ninth defeat in 12 matches. However, the club has since halted the downward trend, remaining unbeaten in 10 games following their loss to the Dutch champions.
In a spirited performance during Thursday's goalless draw against Premier League leaders Arsenal, Liverpool became the first visiting team to earn a point at the Emirates Stadium since Manchester City in September. Conor Bradley's first-half shot that struck the crossbar was the closest either side came to scoring. Liverpool dominated possession in the second half, holding 66%, but struggled to convert that control into goals due to the absence of a recognized striker.
Had Hugo Ekitike been fit to play, Liverpool might have secured a victory. Nonetheless, the match provided several positives for the team, especially following disappointing draws against Leeds and Fulham. Last season's champions showed improvement, with Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch performing well in midfield, and Milos Kerkez delivering an impressive display against Arsenal's Bukayo Saka.
Defensively, Liverpool managed to keep Arsenal from taking a shot in the second half until stoppage time. This season, Arsenal has failed to score against Liverpool in both encounters. Former Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge praised the team's performance, noting, "I think Arne Slot will be absolutely delighted with the performance of the players. They weathered the storm for the first 20 minutes and showed tenacity and experience. They lacked a cutting edge up front but had positive moments. The defense was magnificent, stopping attacks all night, and the manager and players should be proud of their performance."
While the bleeding may have stopped, Liverpool's struggles persist. For the first time since March 2010 against Wigan Athletic, they failed to register a shot on target in a Premier League match, marking their 600th game since that occurrence.
The statistics tell a compelling story: Liverpool averages 1.5 goals per Premier League game this season, down from 2.3 last season and 2.3 during Jurgen Klopp's last season. Their expected goals per game (xG) has decreased from 2.4 in Klopp's final season to 1.5 this season under Slot, indicating a decline in the quality of chances created.
Moreover, their shots per game have fallen from 20.8 to 14.7, and shots on target have decreased from 7.3 to just 4 this season. Slot acknowledged the team's difficulties against low-block defenses, stating, "I’ve said many times that against certain styles, we’re a very good team, but we struggle against others. Even though we kept the ball well, we found it hard to create chances against Arsenal's low block, which is an area we need to improve. That’s one reason we’re trailing behind in points."
In last season's fixture, Liverpool engaged in a thrilling 2-2 draw, highlighted by Mohamed Salah's equalizer after a brilliant assist from Trent Alexander-Arnold. However, none of those players were present in Thursday's match; Salah is at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Nunez and Alexander-Arnold left the club in the summer.
Without Salah, Alexander Isak, or Ekitike, Liverpool faced a formidable opponent in Arsenal, statistically the best defense in the league. Despite their solid shape and dominance in the second half, the fact that David Raya remained untested throughout the match highlighted Liverpool's ongoing struggles in the attacking third.
This season was expected to be one where Liverpool would compete on all fronts after spending over £400 million in the summer. While the title seems out of reach, Slot remains focused on securing a top-four finish. Liverpool still has the Champions League to contend with and an FA Cup third-round tie against Barnsley on the horizon.
Ultimately, this unbeaten run has provided stability for Liverpool, and the recent performance against Arsenal demonstrated their capability to compete with the league's best. However, it also underscored the distance they need to cover to return to their former glory. Dominik Szoboszlai remarked, "We faced an unbelievable team and showed again why we became champions last season. This was a step forward after recent weeks, and we need to carry this momentum into the next matches."