GOALMikel Arteta's side welcome the league-leaders to the Emirates on Sunday in what already feels like a huge title showdown
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When Arsenal went to Anfield on 9 April, 2023, they were on a seven-match winning run in the Premier League and had the title firmly in their sights. Victory against Liverpool would have boosted their momentum heading into what seemed a relatively straightforward couple of fixtures – away to West Ham and home to Southampton – before a showdown at second-place Manchester City at the end of the month.
The Gunners, as they so often did in 2022-23, started magnificently. Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring inside eight minutes, and he turned provider for namesake Gabriel Jesus just before the half-hour mark. Mikel Arteta's boys were turning into men and marching towards the crown.
But not even the most pessimistic Gooner could have foreseen the collapse about to unfold. Mohamed Salah scrambled one home for Liverpool on the stroke of half-time, while he missed a penalty towards the start of the second 45 as Arsenal were smothered out of the contest, eventually clinging on for a 2-2 draw – the first in a run of three successive yet inexplicable stalemates before essentially handing City the title at the Etihad Stadium.
This Sunday, Arsenal face off with Liverpool again, once more in need of three points to ignite their title hopes, once more hoping Martinelli can make a difference. The Brazilian winger hasn't quite been the same since that trip to Anfield 18 months ago, but is coming back into the form that first made him revered and adored around the streets of N5.
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