Arsenal hit back to rescue valuable draw at Liverpool

Arsenal fought back from two goals down to rescue a valuable 2-2 draw against Liverpool as the Gunners moved a step closer to qualifying for the Champions League on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta's side trailed to first-half goals from Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz at Anfield.

But Gabriel Martinelli reduced the deficit before Mikel Merino grabbed the visitors' equaliser.

Although Merino was sent off for a second booking with 11 minutes left, Arsenal clung on for a vital point in the battle for a top-five finish in the Premier League.

Second-placed Arsenal sit five points clear of sixth-placed Aston Villa.

They face a crucial clash with third-placed Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium next week before travelling to relegated Southampton on the last day of the season.

With a vastly superior goal difference to all their top-five rivals, Arsenal should need just one more point to secure a Champions League berth despite winning only one of their last six league games.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was dropped to the bench by Liverpool boss Arne Slot, just days after the Merseyside-born England right-back confirmed he will leave Anfield when his contract expires in June.

Widely expected to join Real Madrid, Alexander-Arnold was replaced by Conor Bradley.

Alexander-Arnold's decision has divided Liverpool fans and he was booed by some sections of the crowd when he came on in the second half, with jeers accompanying his every touch after his introduction.

What could have been a dramatic title decider had become irrelevant to champions Liverpool after they wrapped up their record-equalling 20th English crown two weeks ago.

Arsenal's failure to keep pace with Liverpool had turned the title race into a procession, but the Gunners arrived at Anfield with far more still at stake.

They were still licking their wounds after being dumped out of this season's Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final second leg on Wednesday.

That 2-1 defeat had prompted Arteta to claim Arsenal were the best team in the competition.

- Arsenal make their point -

Arteta's debatable boast came just days after he joked Arsenal had "won" the last two Premier Leagues because they had more points while finishing runners-up to Manchester City than Liverpool had when they clinched this season's title, despite Slot's men still having several games to play.

With much to prove, Arsenal, without a trophy for five years, had to grit their teeth as they lined up to give Liverpool a pre-match guard of honour onto the pitch.

Liverpool looked like lording it over the north Londoners for even longer when they struck in the 20th minute.

Andrew Robertson curled a cross to the near post, where Gakpo planted his header past David Raya from six yards.

Liverpool netted again just 87 seconds later as Diaz slid in to meet Dominik Szoboszlai's low cross with a close-range finish.

Raya was at full stretch to keep out Curtis Jones' strike as rampant Liverpool tore another hole in Arsenal's creaky defence.

Liverpool fans on the Kop rubbed salt into Arteta's wounds as they chanted "best team in Europe? you're having a laugh".

But Arsenal had the perfect response to the taunts, pulling one back in the 47th minute when Martinelli met Leandro Trossard's cross with a glancing header into the far corner.

Alisson Becker preserved Liverpool's lead with a brilliant stop from Ben White's shot before turning away Martinelli's drive soon afterwards.

Arteta's men were on top and they deservedly drew level in the 70th minute.

Alexander-Arnold was the fall-guy after being jeered by his own fans.

Martin Odegaard's powerful strike was parried by Alisson and Merino reacted quickest with a diving header while Alexander-Arnold played the Spain midfielder onside.

Merino saw red nine minutes later, earning his marching orders for rash fouls on Darwin Nunez and then Szoboszlai.

Robertson had a stoppage-time goal disallowed for a foul by Ibrahima Konate on Myles Lewis-Skelly as Arsenal held on.

smg/jc