Coming from behind twice to earn a 2-2 draw at Premier League title rivals Arsenal, Liverpool continued to show their fighting spirit under new manager Arne Slot.
Given the daunting task of following in the footsteps of Liverpool icon Jürgen Klopp, the battling performance to grind out a draw at the Emirates was another tick in the box for the new man in the Anfield hot seat Slot.
Positives To Take From Capital Visit
Having suffered a 3-1 defeat in their last Premier League game at the Emirates last season, Liverpool fans could be forgiven for being a little bit concerned when the Reds went behind after just nine minutes at Arsenal this time around. The Gunners, who are 5/2 in the Premier League title odds, have tended to make strong starts in this fixture, now scoring the opening goal inside 15 minutes in all of their last five league games against the Merseysiders. Liverpool, who are 11/4 in the football betting tips to win the Premier League this season, have found ways to battle their way back into the game and they did just that on their latest trip to the Emirates. Defender Virgil van Dijk quickly got the visitors back on level terms, much to the frustration of Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.
Liverpool’s ability to bounce back from setbacks will be key if they are to be in the title race come the final weeks of the season and they showed that resilience when they again went behind with a goal from Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino just before the break. Once again, it was a certain Mohamed Salah who was the saviour for the Reds, as the Egyptian scored in the 81st minute to help Liverpool leave the Emirates with a share of the spoils. Another breathless battle between these great sides, Liverpool arguably left the game the happier of the two teams.
Reds Can Build on Solid Start
With just one defeat in their opening nine games of the Premier League campaign, it has certainly been a strong start from Slot at Anfield. The Dutch tactician would be forgiven for needing time to settle in on Merseyside, but he has hit the ground running with his new club. A shock 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest aside, Liverpool have been consistent with their performances, which have been based on having the meanest defence in the league.
Liverpool’s start to the campaign has been made all the more impressive by the fact they have been forced to deal with their fair share of injuries. Goalkeeper Allison has had issues with a hamstring injury, while new signing Federico Chiesa has also struggled with a muscular issue. Forward Diogo Jota suffered a rib injury in Liverpool’s impressive 2-1 win over Chelsea and won’t return till after the next international break.
Liverpool continuing to get positive results without key personnel is a testament to the strength in depth of the squad at Slot’s disposal. It’s still relatively early days in the season, but there are already signs this Liverpool side under Slot can compete for major silverware this term.
