- Liverpool and Arsenal played out a 2-2 draw at Anfield, maintaining a 15-point gap between the two sides
- Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz scored early for Liverpool, but Martinelli and Mikel Merino brought Arsenal level
- Merino was sent off, and a last-minute Robertson goal was disallowed, leaving the match tied
Key Takeaways
Champions Liverpool hosted their main title rivals this season, Arsenal, at Anfield in the Premier League’s Matchday 36 clash. In the end, the two teams shared the points with a 2-2 draw. Before the match, as a gesture of respect, the Londoners formed a guard of honour for the newly crowned champions.
Here come the champions!
Arsenal greet Liverpool onto the Anfield pitch with a guard of honour 👏#LIVARS pic.twitter.com/eeLHA8lcgD
— Premier League (@premierleague) May 11, 2025
However, this gesture did not seem to move Arne Slot’s players, who quickly raced into a 2-0 lead with two rapid goals. Cody Gakpo opened the scoring in the 20th minute, and moments after the restart, Luis Diaz doubled the advantage by finding the net again.
Arsenal responded well, pulling one back early in the second half through Martinelli, and in the 70th minute, Mikel Merino equalised. However, just seven minutes later, Merino was sent off after receiving a second yellow card, giving Liverpool a great chance to secure victory. In the final seconds, Andy Robertson scored, but his goal was disallowed due to a foul in the penalty area.
As a result, the match ended in a draw, maintaining the gap between the two teams at 15 points. While Liverpool can comfortably see out the rest of the season, Arsenal cannot afford to relax. The Gunners have 68 points in second place, with Newcastle third on 66, Manchester City on 65, and both Chelsea and Aston Villa on 63.
This means that five teams are effectively competing for four Champions League spots, and one of them will have to settle for a place in the Europa League next season.