Liverpool’s Firmino snatches draw from jaws of defeat against Arsenal

Sports Desk, Apr 9 (EFE).- A goal in the final minutes by Brazil’s Roberto Firmino on a fabulous assist by Trent Alexander Arnold pulled a 2-2 draw from the jaws of defeat in Liverpool’s home match against Premier League chart-topper Arsenal at Anfield Stadium on Sunday.

It was the culmination of a great comeback for Juergen Klopp’s side, with Arsenal having gone up by 2-0 on tallies by Gabriel Martinelli – pouncing on a mistake by Virgil van Dijk – and Gabriel Jesus on a header after an assist from Martinelli in the 8th and 28th minutes, respectively.

Mohamed Salah had cut that lead to just one point three minutes before the intermission, although he missed on a penalty kick once play had resumed.

Martinelli’s score had come just eight minutes into play when Van Dijk tried to clear the ball but knocked it right into the striker’s path, who then fired a low shot past netminder Alisson to get Mikel Arteta’s men on the board.

Twenty minutes later, it was Gabriel Jesus in the right place at the right time for a second goal for the visitors, but Salah managed to sink the ball in the 42nd minute for the home side after teammate Jordan Henderson tried one but missed.

After the break, it was all Liverpool, striving for the even-up goal, getting a good chance on a penalty called seven minutes into play when Rob Holding sent Diogo Jota to the turf, but Salah was unable to manufacture another score on the penalty kick, sending his shot wide of the mark.

Liverpool kept at it, however, creating a number of additional chances, in particular Darwin Nuñez’s try that Aaron Ramsdale, in the net for Arsenal, managed to save.

Finally, however, it was Salah scoring the tying tally three minutes before regulation time, and then in the closing minutes trying again, along with Ibrahima Konate for the go-ahead goal, only to have both efforts stymied by Ramsdale.

The net result was that Arsenal had its streak of seven consecutive wins broken and was unable to widen its lead at the top of the table to eight points over Manchester City, having to settle for “only” a six-point differential.

Liverpool, too, picked up a point of course, but sits way down in the middle of the pack in the No. 8 spot.

In other Premier League action on Sunday, 12-ranked Crystal Palace delivered a 5-1 road thumping to No. 16 Leeds United, hovering just above the relegation threshold, in a comeback walloping after Patrick Bamford found the twine on a header for the home squad in the 21st minute.

Thereafter, it was all Palace, however.

Lineups:

Liverpool: Alisson; Trent Alexander Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil Van Dijk, Andy Robertson; Jordan Henderson, Fabinho (Roberto Firmino, m.78), Curtis Jones (Thiago, m.60); Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota (Darwin Nuñez, m.60) and Cody Gakpo.

Arsenal: Aaron Ramsdale; Oleksandr Zinchenko (Kieran Tierney, m.89), Gabriel Magalhaes, Rob Holding, Ben White; Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard (Jakub Kiwior, m.80), Granit Xhaka; Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli y Gabriel Jesus (Leandro Trossard, m.79).

EFE –/bp