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Premier League champions Liverpool missed the chance to claim the record for most points won in a season after falling to a 2-1 defeat away at Arsenal. It means Liverpool can now earn a maximum of 99 points in this season.
After Sadio Mane opened the scoring for Liverpool, goals from Alexandre Lacazette and a first Premier League strike from Reiss Nelson put the home side in the lead, which they managed to protect thanks to a determined defensive display.
Liverpool made the brighter start to the game, pressing with great intensity and preventing the home side from stringing more than a couple of passes together in the opening exchanges. Their efforts were rewarded in the 20th minute when Mane slotted home Andy Robertson’s precise cutback at the end of a slick passing move.
However, the visitors then handed Arsenal a route back into the game as Virgil Van Dijk’s weak back pass to Alisson was pounced upon by Lacazette who rounded the keeper and equalised for the home side.
It then went from bad to worse for champions Liverpool on the stroke of half time as Arsenal took the lead against the run of play. This time it was an error from the visiting goalkeeper Alisson Becker, whose weak ball out from the back was picked up by Lacazette and played to Nelson who made no mistake from close range.
The second half was predictably played largely in Arsenal’s territory as Liverpool tried to get an equaliser. But the Gunners were in solid defensive shape and were successful in keeping out anything that the Reds could muster. For their part, the champions seemed a little lacking in attacking ideas and failed to test Emiliano Martinez in the Arsenal goal.
Here are the player ratings from Liverpool's surprise 1-2 loss to Arsenal from the Emirates.
Arsenal Player Ratings:
Emiliano Martinez: 7/10
Emiliano Martinez has been an able deputy for the injured Bernd Leno and put in another assured display, repelling everything that Liverpool threw at him, especially in the second half.
Rob Holding: 6/10
Returning to the starting lineup after a few games, Rob Holding grew into the game gradually and enjoyed an intriguing tussle with Sadio Mane while forming part of a dogged Arsenal defence.
David Luiz: 7/10
David Luiz retained his place in the heart of the Arsenal defence even as the centre-backs around him changed from the previous match.
The Brazilian used all his experience to help Arsenal mount a resolute defensive effort against the Premier League champions and was excellent positionally, making a number of vital clearances.
Kieran Tierney: 6/10
After being moved back into a more central defensive role, Kieran Tierney delivered yet another solid showing, exhibiting great energy and desire in his tackling. The Scotsman finished the game in his customary position on the left flank after Bukayo Saka went off late on.
Cedric Soares: 6/10
Arsenal’s Portuguese right-back Cedric Soares was given the tough assignment of dealing with Mane and Andy Robertson and rose to the challenge manfully. Even though the opening goal came down his flank, Soares kept threatening Liverpool chances to a minimum before being substituted with 15 minutes to play.
Lucas Torreira: 5/10
Making his first league start in six months, Lucas Torreira put in a typically busy shift but was somewhat dominated by the Liverpool midfield before going off just shy of the hour mark.
Granit Xhaka: 6/10
Like Torreira, Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka was overrun by his Liverpool counterparts as the away side enjoyed the majority of the possession across the park. But Xhaka played his part in a strong defensive display as Arsenal saw out the win.
Bukayo Saka: 6/10
Deployed in a left wing-back role on the night, Bukaya Sako had the unenviable task of marking the Liverpool duo of Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Despite barely featuring in an attacking sense, the English youngster was largely successful in preventing Liverpool from creating much down his flank.
Nicolas Pepe: 5/10
Nicolas Pepe was largely anonymous as Arsenal struggled to create much by way of clear-cut attacking opportunities. The Ivorian rarely got a touch of the ball in either half and spent most of his time on the pitch tracking back or chasing after hopeful punts upfield.
Reiss Nelson: 7/10
Although starved of the ball for most of the game, Reiss Nelson showed terrific composure when needed, slotting coolly past Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker to register his first Premier League goal and give his side the lead.
Alexandre Lacazette: 8/10
Alexandre Lacazette is enjoying a return to form of late and got on the scoresheet again, capitalising on a Liverpool defensive error to round the keeper and slot home the equaliser.
He followed up his goal with the assist for Nelson as well, pouncing on another loose ball before making the decisive pass.
Arsenal Substitutes:
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: 5/10
Arsenal’s premier striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang replaced Lacazette in the second half but barely got a touch as most of the game was played at the other end of the field.
Joe Willock: 5/10
Joe Willock added some fresh legs to the Arsenal midfield and spent the majority of his time on the pitch chasing the ball as Liverpool looked for a way back into the game.
Dani Ceballos: 5/10
Dani Ceballos came off the bench and was lively in midfield but was unable to show his attacking prowess as Arsenal were deprived of the ball for most of the game.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles: 6/10
Ainsley Maitland-Niles replaced Cedric in the right wing-back role and showed great desire and determination during his short stint on the pitch, making a few tackles and blocks as Liverpool attacked down the flanks.
Sead Kolasinac: N.A.
The big Serb Sead Kolosinac replaced Saka late on as Arsenal attempted to prevent Liverpool from getting the equaliser but was not on the pitch long enough to make an impact.
Liverpool Player Ratings:
Alisson Becker: 4/10
While Alisson Becker hardly had anything to do in the entire match, an uncharacteristically poor pass out from the back led to his side conceding what would turn out to be the decisive second goal.
Trent Alexander-Arnold: 6/10
Despite sending in his by-now customary barrage of accurate and inviting crosses into the box, the young right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold was unable to create a clear chance for Liverpool to get back into the game.
Joe Gomez: 7/10
The young Englishman Joe Gomez was his usual tough, physical and pacy self in defence, dealing well with Arsenal’s attacking threat.
Virgil Van Dijk: 4/10
Apart from the glaring error that led to his side conceding the equaliser, Virgil Van Dijk was hardly involved in a defensive capacity as he spent most of his time up the other end trying to get Liverpool back on level terms against Arsenal.
Andrew Robertson: 5/10
Andrew Robertson, the Scottish left-back, matched his English counterpart on the opposite flank in sending in several searching crosses. He even got the assist for the opening goal on one of his regular runs up the field. However, his forward forays were unable to conjure up an equaliser for Liverpool.
Fabinho: 7/10
Brazilian Fabinho was a constant thorn in Arsenal’s side, popping up with crucial interceptions time and again while also featuring heavily in attack with a number of clever passes and through balls.
Georginio Wijnaldum: 6/10
The Dutchman Georginio Wijnaldum was full of running as usual and created a formidable defensive shield for Liverpool but failed to create any dangerous opportunities from an attacking perpective.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: 6/10
The former Arsenal man Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain looked lively in midfield and got into some promising positions without troubling the scorers before going off for Naby Keita with half an hour left to play.
Mohamed Salah: 5/10
Liverpool’s Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah was always in and around the action in Arsenal’s penalty area but failed to really make an impact on the game on his 150th appearance for the Reds.
Roberto Firmino: 5/10
Roberto Firmino was his usual busy self, dropping deep to receive the ball on occasion and getting involved in a number of promising moves without finding any end product.
The Brazilian was replaced by Takumi Minamino just past the hour mark.
Sadio Mane: 7/10
Sadio Mane scored the opening goal at the end of a wonderfully incisive move from Liverpool. It was the Senegalese forward's 24th goal involvement of the season (17 goals, 7 assists), which is his best return in a Premier League season.
Liverpool Substitutes:
Takumi Minamino: 5/10
The Japanese forward Takumi Minamino looked lively during his cameo and caused the Arsenal defence some trouble but was unable to create any opportunities.
Naby Keita: 6.5/10
Naby Keita was another substitute who looked purposeful and full of running but was unable to carve out clear-cut chances from his midfielder role.
Divock Origi: N.A.
No stranger to scoring important late goals for Liverpool, Divock Origi came on in the 83rd minute but failed to get on the ball enough to make an impact.
Xherdan Shaqiri: N.A.
The Swiss attacker Xherdan Shaqiri did have the ball in the net for Liverpool late on but the whistle had already gone before he took his shot. That was his only real contribution in the game as he hardly had any time to showcase his skills.
