LONDON: Arsenal, remarkably after providing the only serious pursuit of champions-elect Liverpool and in a season which gifts England five Champions League slots, are still not certain of being back among Europe’s elite next season.

A 2-2 draw at Anfield followed a run of three defeats in four matches including Champions League elimination by Paris Saint-Germain. The only recourse for manager Mikel Arteta is to blame injuries for the depressing sequence of results which has drained his players of all their early-season confidence.

The Gunners end their campaign at home against in-form Newcastle then away to bottom club Southampton. They should still hold on in the top five but fans are becoming impatient that the Arteta reign, which began so well with FA Cup success in 2020, has brought nothing else – barring two comparatively insignificant Community Shields.

Arsenal, to underline their fading status, had the painful duty of affording Liverpool a guard of honour as captain Virgil van Dijk celebrating his 300th Premier League appearance by leading out the new champions.

Bukayo Saka had an early chance to puncture the party atmosphere but miscued a shot from close range. This proved a costly miss because Liverpool then took control with two goals in three minutes. Cody Gakpo headed the first and Luis Diaz struck the second from close range. Arsenal’s defence look asleep on both occasions.

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Arsenal found their rhythm after the interval and pulled level. Gabriel Martinelli headed in a cross from Leandro Trossard then Mikel Merino who headed home after s shot from Martin Odegaard was only parried by Alisson.

Inbetween Liverool manager brought on Trent Alexander-Arnold as a substitute for his likely successor Conor Bradley. The arrival of Alexander-Arnold, who is leaving Anfield almost certainly for Real Madrid, was greeted by a mixture of cheers and jeers which seemed ungrateful after his role in helping the club win seven major trophies.

Equally unworthy of the duel between the top two was the expulsion of Merino who followed up one yellow card foul on Darwin Nunez with another on Dominik Szoboszlai and was shown red by referee Anthony Taylor.

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