The draw at the Emirates Stadium was perhaps the result dreamed of by Guardiola and Manchester City but if it couldn't be, the citizens' wish would have been a local victory. And Arteta's Arsenal, Santpedor's former collaborator, granted it, handcuffed them until they defeated the leader, Liverpool, to tighten the fight for the Premier League even more.
If City beat Brentford this Monday they will be two points behind Liverpool, like the Gunners, but with one game less than both.
In case there were any doubts, Mikel Arteta's team presented its candidacy with a very solid victory, demonstrating that it is capable of creating danger by creating plays, recovering up front with high pressure and also on the counterattack. Thus, with each of these arts, the goals arrived. He cooked the first, ran the second and made a loss pay in the third.
Havertz, who played as a 9 in the absence of Gabriel Jesus, did not score, but his companions in attack did. Saka put Arsenal ahead in the first half and Martinelli made it 1-2 in the second half, after Gabriel Magalhaes' own goal, and Trossard, coming off the bench, made the final 1-3.
Alisson was about to avoid the first when he saved a one-on-one from Havertz but the rebound fell to Saka, who had time to control and shoot, he could have done more in the last two. In the case of his Brazilian compatriot, the goalkeeper did not understand Van Dijk and they left the ball on a plate to the forward. In the Belgian's game, the ball slipped between his legs because he was slow to block the shot.
At Liverpool, Salah's absence, injured with Egypt, was very noticeable, and Darwin Núñez also started from the bench. The momentary tying goal must be attributed to the fight of Luis Díaz, who fought with Saliba and shot so that Gabriel surprised Raya.
Klopp has not been doing well with trips to London in recent years. And in the Premier League there are a few. Perhaps it will be one of the things he will miss least when he leaves the Liverpool bench on June 30. The previous game that the red team had lost this season was at Tottenham on the last day of September, in addition to a draw at Stamford Bridge.
Last season they already lost at the Emirates and could not win at Fulham, Chelsea or at the Crystal Palace stadium. And two seasons ago, in 21-22, they only gave up two defeats and one was at the Olympic Stadium in London, where West Ham plays.
The best news for the Reds was the reappearance of Thiago, who had not played since April 26 due to a hip injury, and that Robertson, who reappeared on January 28 after having to operate on his right shoulder, which was injured in Seville in Spain-Scotland in October continues to add minutes. Because in the end they saw how Konaté was expelled.
