*Liverpool 2 (Coutinho 45, Skrtel 90+7) Arsenal 2 (Debuchy 45+2, Giroud 64)
Martin Skrtel headed home deep into added time as 10-man Liverpool drew 2-2 with Arsenal.
Liverpool, looking to end a poor run of form, dominated in the first half with Philippe Coutinho seemingly giving them a half-time lead with a well-taken goal on 45 minutes.
But Mathieu Debuchy beat Skrtel to a cross in added time to head home, and Giroud then gave Arsenal the lead with his side’s second shot on target, finishing through the legs of Jones after a cross from Santi Cazorla in the second half.
Fabio Borini was dismissed for two quick bookings in the nine minutes of injury time that were a result of a nasty head injury to Skrtel, but the defender then headed home late in the game to snatch a draw.
The draw sees Arsenal move back ahead of rivals Tottenham and into sixth, while Liverpool climb to 10th, one place ahead of their own local rivals in Everton.
KEY MOMENTS
35’ – CHANCE! Markovic receives the ball on the left. He dribbles past Cazorla and Chambers into the area and is in on goal from a tight angle but his low shot is well saved by Szczesny.
39’ – CHANCE! Sterling turns Mertesacker on the half way line and dribbles towards the box. He sees Markovic free to his left and lays it in to him but the winger’s first time shot flies well over.
45’ – GOAL! Liverpool take the lead after Henderson finds Coutinho on the edge of the area. He shimmies with the ball to his right and then drives a low shot into the bottom corner.
45+2 – GOAL! Arsenal hit back straight away after Liverpool struggle to clear a free kick. Flamini keeps the ball alive and puts the ball to the far post where Debuchy is on hand to nod home over Skrtel.
64’ – GOAL! Giroud puts Arsenal after ahead after he drops the ball to Cazorla on the byline for the Spaniard to cut it back and allow the Frenchman to sweep the ball low and hard into the back of the net.
75’- CHANCE! Lucas arrives onto a ball on the edge of the area from Henderson but can only slash the ball just wide of the post with his effort.
90+3 – RED CARD: Borini got a yellow for dissent just moments before studding Cazorla in the chest as he tried to clip the ball away and a stonewall second yellow. Daft.
90+7 – GOAL! Skrtel rises highest at the far post as he stormed onto a Lallana corner and slammed a header down into the back of the net.
KEY STATS
Giroud has scored five goals in eight Premier League games after today’s goal despite missing a large chunk of the season with injury
Arsenal drew five of their first eight league games, didn’t draw any of their next eight but have drawn again today.
The Gunners have scored in every league game bar one this season
There have been five goals scored in the 90th minute or beyond in the last seven meetings between these sides
TALKING POINT
Will Skrtel’s last gasp equaliser help rescue Liverpool’s season? No doubt it will rally the squad together but despite dominating Arsenal for long periods, Szczesny had little to do overall and this will trouble Brendan Rodgers. A good performance against one of the division’s better sides won’t put paid to the gaping holes in this Liverpool squad.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Olivier Giroud (Arsenal): He dominated the Liverpool back three on his own for much of the game every time he received service. He took his goal brilliantly and the game changed back in Liverpool’s favour after he was substituted. An all-round good game from the talismanic Frenchman.
PLAYER RATINGS
Liverpool: Jones 6, Toure 7, Skrtel 8, Sakho 6, Lucas 7, Henderson 7, Markovic 6, Coutinho 8, Gerrard 7, Lallana 7, Sterling 7. Subs: Borini 4, Lambert 6.
Arsenal: Szczesny 7, Debuchy 8, Mertesacker 7, Chambers 6, Gibbs 6, Flamini 5, Oxlade-Chamberlain 5, Cazorla 7, Alexis 4, Giroud 9, Welbeck 6. Subs: Monreal 6, Coquelin 6, Campbell 6.
