Liverpool’s late show, Arsenal’s implosion: Was Saturday the Premier League title race’s defining day? | Football News

At 16:48 on Saturday, Arsenal were hoping to catch Liverpool. At the end of the day, Arne Slot’s men had the cup in one hand. Was this the defining day in the title race?

As the clock ticked down towards the deadline in west London, with Liverpool 0-0 away to Brentford, Arsenal fans in their seats at The Emirates would have sensed an opportunity.

Can they close the gap to just two points?

But then Darwin Nunes did Darwin Nunes things.

Turns out Liverpool were just teasing.

Nunez’s late brace took the club to a massive three points and Arsenal’s chance of making a major push for the title was snuffed out, with the home fans holding their heads as the 2-2 draw at Aston Villa went into full time.

The gap is now six points and Liverpool have a game in hand.

Slot’s men now have a 77 per cent chance of winning the title, the highest percentage odds any team has had this season, according to the bookies.

“The swing is massive,” he said Sky Sports‘Paul Merson.

“I would be shocked if Liverpool didn’t take the title from here. It was too easy for me from Arsenal, too obscene.

“If you want to win the Premier League, you have to turn up every day, every week. You have to be ready to do business.

“I’ve supported Arsenal the last two years and I thought, you know what, unluckily, they pushed one of the best teams we’ve ever seen down to the penultimate game and the last game.

“Now I’m watching them and wondering if they’ve made it. When push comes to shove like today.

Sky Sports’ Gary Neville said of the comment. “Arsenal are 2-0 up here. There are quite a few dejected faces on the pitch and around this stadium.

“It’s a big day in the title race and it’s tilted more towards Liverpool.

Arsenal were in complete control of their 2-0 clash with Aston Villa, but two goals from Youri Tillmans and Ollie Watkins’ cross, which exposed Arsenal’s weakness without William Saliba, turned the contest on its head.

Merson said in case of both goals. “They’re schoolboy mistakes. It’s not like teams open them up and you go, ‘Oh my god.’

“I don’t care what division you’re in, both of their goals can be stopped if you do your job.

“All you ask as a manager is for the players to go out there and do their job.

“And today some players left Mikel Arteta and I don’t think it’s because the team is shallow because today we saw two big mistakes: (leaving Watkins free to tie the score).

Arteta: Liverpool players won it but we are very short

Mikel Arteta said “Arsenal”. they are “very short” and hinted that the club must act in the January transfer window after a 2-2 draw with Villa.

When asked if it was an important moment in the fight for titles because of Liverpool’s victory, he said: “There are moments. Obviously, they managed to do it.

“They created the subs and they made an impact and they were able to change the game.

“And it was the opposite from our side, although after conceding two balls very close to each other, there was a danger, because I knew how the team was, that we could go down because we were physically exhausted.

“The team found another gear to get going again and just put Aston Villa in there in the box and went and went again to try and find the goal that we couldn’t score at the end.”

Despite his side’s fatigue, Arteta only used one substitute in loanee Raheem Sterling, who failed to make an impact.

When asked whether the circumstances highlighted the need to fill in January, he said. “Not the result. When you look at the performances, I don’t know how many teams play at this level in the league. But when you look at the bench, you might say, I think we are too short.”

When asked if Saliba’s injury worries him, he added: “Yes, for sure. Especially with the numbers we have in the team and looking at our reserves, I’m very worried.”

He added: “Our level of play in attack and defense is so high. We were so good, but something is missing, that line is so thin.

“Today we can’t miss the goals we scored, that line is so thin, we’ve been punished before and we can’t do that.”

Analysis: If Salah doesn’t get you, the bench will

Ollie Yu of Sky Sports.

Nunes and Liverpool got on well after all, and it is Slott’s ability to empty Liverpool’s bench with fresh attacking options that could be crucial in their bid for a first title in five years.

Liverpool, even without the injured Diogo Jota, had an incredible 37 shots at Brentford, a record for an away team in the Premier League, but it was their ability to keep up the pressure with fresh legs that got them over the line in the end.

It was Nunez who came to the rescue on this occasion, but Harvey Elliott, who hasn’t had as many minutes as he would have liked this season, also played a key role with an assist for the second off the bench.

If Mo Salah, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo don’t get you, Darwin Nunes, Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott will.And with the rest of the league struggling with injuries and depleted squads, that depth could be a crucial factor in Liverpool’s bid to bring the title back to Anfield. in

Frank: “Liverpool” is one level above

“Brentford” head coach Thomas Frank compares “Liverpool” with “Arsenal” and “Manchester City”.

“I think we just played City and Arsenal. For me (Liverpool) is a level above them. Their work ethic, how they follow : good indicators.

“They’re so good all over the pitch. They’re really, really good. They’re big favorites to win it (the title).”