Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal: Mohamed Salah cancels out Gabriel goal but Gunners remain top of table after pulsating draw

Arsenal will lead the Premier League table at Christmas for a second straight season despite Mo Salah earning Liverpool a merited 1-1 draw at Anfield with a magnificent equaliser for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Visiting manager Mikel Arteta played in Arsenal’s last league away win at Liverpool in 2012 and watched his side make a dream start when Gabriel rose to power home a free header from the Martin Odegaard free-kick on four minutes with the home defence caught cold.

Despite being pushed back by the incessant nature of Arsenal’s passing game, Liverpool restored parity out of nowhere on 29 minutes with their first shot on target as Salah gave Oleksandr Zinchenko the slip from a thrilling raking pass by Trent Alexander-Arnold to thump a blistering finish into the net.

It was a fitting effort to carry him into 10th spot on the all-time Premier League scoring charts on 151 goals. Former Newcastle and Blackburn forward Alan Shearer continues to hold the record with 260.

Liverpool looked the likelier side to find a winner in a pulsating second half, and it was Alexander-Arnold who came closest when his finish came off the bar from the Salah pass on the counter attack on 74 minutes.

The draw leaves Arsenal top of the Premier League with 40 points from 18 matches with Liverpool a point further back having played the same number of games.

Liverpool head for Burnley on Boxing Day (5:30pm), while Arsenal return to action by hosting West Ham on Thursday evening (8:15pm) as the Premier League reaches its halfway stage.

A number of contenders for the award with Liverpool central defender Ibrahima Konate and Arsenal centre-half William Saliba strolling through a hectic evening with a purposeful sense of calm, but England midfielder Declan Rice earns the nod for another tremendous shift at the heart of the action for the visitors.

Seemed to be everywhere in covering ground both in an attacking sense and helping out his defence. Put in a supreme performance with Liverpool threatening to swamp Arsenal in the second half, and was key to the London side departing Anfield having made their point.

Not a match appears to pass off these days without VAR adding to the subjective nature of key decisions. Even when they appear obvious calls to make.

With his side leading 1-0, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard clearly handled the ball inside his own box midway through the half after appearing to slip before going to ground.

His left hand diverted the flight of the ball, but despite the Liverpool protests from players and fans alike, VAR decided it was not intentional due to his untimely fall.

Yet when you studied replays, Odegaard made his body bigger in illegally blocking the ball.

Deliberate or not, it is hard to suggest Arsenal were not fortunate to avoid conceding a penalty.

Liverpool: Alisson 7, Alexander-Arnold 7, Konate 8, Van Dijk 7, Tsimikas 6, Szoboszlai 6, Endo 6, Jones 6, Salah 8, Gakpo 6, Diaz 6 Subs: Gomez 8, Nunez 7, Elliott 7, Gravenberch 6

Arsenal: Raya 7, White 6, Saliba 8, Gabriel 8, Zinchenko 6, Odegaard 6, Rice 8, Havertz 6, Saka 6, Jesus 7, Martinelli 6 Subs: Nketiah 6, Trossard 7,

4′ GOAL FOR ARSENAL! (GABRIEL) What a simple goal for Arsenal to score. Martin Odegaard with the free-kick into the Liverpool box and Gabriel rises to power the head into the gaping net. A 1-0 lead for the visitors.

22′ HANDBALL CLAIM AGAINST ODEGAARD Seemed to catch the ball with his left hand in the box, but looked like he also slipped towards the ball. VAR says no penalty. The Arsenal skipper then fires a shot a few yards wide at the other end.

29′ GOAL FOR LIVERPOO! (SALAH) The equaliser comes against the run of play really as Liverpool break up the play before Salah cuts inside Zinchenko to thump a blistering shot into the net. No chance for Raya. Alexander-Arnold with a superb ball across the pitch. It is 1-1.

23′ KLOPP TAKES A TUMBLE ON THE TOUCHLINE Kostas Tsimikas battling for a loose ball with Saka, but then flies into Klopp, who goes over. Looks like Kostas Tsimikas is needing some treatment for a shoulder issue.

34′ AN ENFORCED CHANGE BY LIVERPOOL Well, that is bizarre. Klopp came down on top of Kostas Tsimikas, and he can’t continue in this match due to his shoulder issue. On comes Joe Gomez for the home team.

42′ GLORIOUS CHANCE FOR AN ARSENAL SECOND Alisson doing well to race from his line to claw away the ball at Saka’s feet. It breaks to Martinelli, but he can’t find the finish as he smacks the shot a few yards wide. Still 1-1.

72′ ALMOST A DREAM INTRO FOR ELLIOTT He races towards the edge of the Arsenal area before unleashing a deflected shot that hits the outside of the post. Excellent play by him.

74′ LIVERPOOL DENIED BY THE BAR The home side break at pace from the Arsenal corner. Salah plays in Alexander-Arnold to his right, but the finish comes back off the bar. How close was that? Somehow it remains 1-1.