3 positives & negatives as Arsenal stutter in Premier League title race

After racing into a first-half 2-0 lead, Arsenal were eventually pegged back by Liverpool as the hosts secured a 2-2 draw to blow the Premier League title race wide open. 

It was a game for the ages with plenty of goals, late drama, tension and even a missed penalty. For the neutral, it was undoubtedly a classic. However, from an Arsenal perspective, the match conjured up a wide array of mixed feelings. Here are three positives and negatives from the encounter.

 3 positives and negatives from 2-2 with Liverpool

Positive #1: A point away at Anfield

Irrespective of Liverpool’s form coming into this game, a point away at Anfield should never be frowned upon. Both Manchester City and Manchester United have suffered defeats this season at the stadium, so while the result is disappointing, we should be proud of the team.

If it was not for the sheer brilliance of City, a draw away at Liverpool would widely be considered an impressive result during a run-in of this nature, and for a side who have notoriously found points of any kind difficult to come by at Anfield over the last decade, a point is indicative of progress, regardless of the circumstances.

Negative #1: Anfield curse continues

With that being said, the draw does unfortunately mean that our Anfield curse will continue for yet another season. The Gunners have failed to record a victory away at Liverpool since 2012 – a remarkable statistic given the stature of Arsenal football club.

This match, especially after we stormed into the lead, was a massive opportunity for the side to finally secure a much-needed victory in Merseyside, but as many teams have before, Mikel Arteta’s men were overcome by the famous Kop.

After the game, Arteta admitted that the atmosphere at Anfield is a huge asset to Jurgen Klopp’s side.

"“When you look back at what they’ve done to big teams, including this season, they are an exceptional team. And they are a very, very difficult team to dominate for 90 minutes. At any moment, they can shift that momentum and create a game that they want.”"

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