Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp cut a figure of pure frustration on the Emirates touchline as his Premier League title-chasing Reds were held to a 0-0 scoreline after the first 45-minutes in north London by Mikel Arteta’s high-flying Arsenal.
HALF-TIME Arsenal 0-0 Liverpool
Both teams have applied pressure at different stages but it remains all square #ARSLIV pic.twitter.com/OUyUe05P8o
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 16, 2022
It has hardly been a performance commensurate with the level of performance the Reds have displayed for nearly the entirety of the 2021-22 Premier League campaign, but Arsenal fans will be delighted with the shift that the Gunners have produced in front of the home support in a match that could set the tone for the rest of the season for the capital side.
Keeper Aaron Ramsdale was truly tested just once on the night thus far after Virgil van Dijk had his well-headed effort low to the far post turned away by the England keeper, with Liverpool managing just one other opportunity late on through Sadio Mané who could only scoop his effort over Ramsdale’s bar just before the break.
As for Arsenal, Brazilian starlet Gabriel Martinelli has put England international Trent Alexander-Arnold on the rack time and again down Liverpool’s right-hand side tonight, with an all-action display on both sides of the ball highlighting the overall performance that the Gunners have put faith in.
Though Liverpool has the lion’s share of the possession (55%), the Reds have hardly threatened in key attacking areas with Arsenal potentially using that notion as a springboard to kick on in a second-half performance that could net the club a massive three-point haul tonight.
What do fans of both clubs think as the second half is set to press on? See below.
Arsenal & Liverpool fan reactions
He’s not even the best England player on the pitch. #Saka https://t.co/sRO2rYNl8q
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 16, 2022
Martinelli teaching Matip,Diaz and Henderson a lesson called Samba football! pic.twitter.com/G1V1XYelEL
— Fabrizio Bryomano (@bryoshavin) March 16, 2022
Jurgen Klopp should’ve been working on tactics instead of trying to look hard walking around Hackney
— bas (@lfcbas) March 16, 2022
Gabriel Martinelli on ?against Liverpool in the first half. Hope he keeps it up in the second half #ARSLIV pic.twitter.com/qayDMtF2rf
— ArsenalVideo (@arsenal_video) March 16, 2022
Liverpool Without Salah !!!!!!
Very poor very boring— Michel Shinouda (@MichelShinouda) March 16, 2022
That first half from Thomas Partey should be captured in video form and played on repeat in a museum for the remainder of eternity with the mantle outside reading:
“Perfect midfield play” pic.twitter.com/55astIHgWu
— EBL (@EBL2017) March 16, 2022
Time to stop walking now @LFC, the games on… https://t.co/iz052ZJsXR
— LFC Transfer Room (@LFCTransferRoom) March 16, 2022
Strong first half. Martinelli, unstoppable. Partey, on top form. Ødegaard, you are another level?
Second half, let’s go gunners♥️
— Lucy (@Lucfergy) March 16, 2022