Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta couldn’t be separated as Liverpool drew at home to Arsenal in a feisty affair.

The Premier League title rivals finished 1-1 at Anfield on Saturday after Mohamed Salah cancelled out Gabriel’s fourth-minute breakthrough on Merseyside. But both managers could feel some regret after their sides failed to claim victory in a result that will have gone down well at the Etihad Stadium.

A high-quality affair between two of English football’s most decorated teams didn’t disappoint as Arsenal maintained their one-point advantage in the Premier League standings. But while both managers got certain decisions right at Anfield, there are some calls that are sure to draw scrutiny from fans.

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Gunners firing under pressure

It was evident early on at Anfield that Arsenal’s intention was to take the game to their hosts, which is easier said that done against a team that hasn’t been beaten at home since February 2023. One criticism aimed at Arteta’s men following their title collapse last season was a lack of mental strength, citing an inability to manage matters when the pressure’s at its highest.

But Gabriel’s fourth-minute breakthrough was a clear sign the team is making progress in that regard, with very few sideways or backwards passes in the game’s early exchanges. Liverpool came into the match more as things progressed, but the writing was on the wall that Arteta’s Arsenal are in the title race to stay.

The role Darwin Nunez has to play in this Liverpool XI has been one of Klopp’s main conundrums this season, and it’s perhaps unsurprising the Uruguayan was dropped after another goalless display in the 0-0 draw with Manchester United. That brought his Premier League drought up to seven games, having failed to find the back of the net in the league since October.

But a lack of penetration through the middle soon had Reds fans calling for the 24-year-old to be reintroduced as Salah and Luis Diaz struggled for a central outlet. There’s no single answer as to whether Nunez deserves to start week in, week out, but a little anarchy up top may have benefited Klopp’s side sooner rather than later.

Free Kiwior

Oleksandr Zinchenko was one name that set alarm bells ringing after Arsenal fans saw the Ukrainian was starting at left-back on Saturday. Having struggled to contain Salah in the past, the former Manchester City utility was once again subjected to 90 minutes of torment at Anfield.

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