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Darwin Nunez was the hero for Liverpool as he came off the bench to score two stoppage-time goals in a 2-0 win over Brentford to extend their lead at the top of the table to seven points.
Mikel Merino thought he'd done the same for Arsenal but his late winner in their 2-2 draw against Aston Villa was chalked off for striking Kai Havertz's arm on its way to the net.
The Gunners have now slipped to six points behind Liverpool in the table having played a game more.
Premier League gameweek 22 fixtures
Saturday, January 18
Newcastle United 1-4 BournemouthBrentford 0-2 LiverpoolLeicester 0-2 FulhamWest Ham 0-2 Crystal PalaceArsenal 2-2 Aston Villa
Sunday, January 19
14:00: Everton vs Tottenham14:00: Manchester United vs Brighton 14:00: Nottingham Forest vs Southampton 16:30: Ipswich Town vs Manchester City
Monday, January 20
20:00: Chelsea vs Wolves - live on talkSPORT
See all Premier League match odds over at talkSPORT BET
4 minutes agoBy Joe Brophy
Mikel Arteta to Sky Sports: “In attack, in defence, the level that we are playing is so, so high because we’ve played some big teams and we were so good but there’s something missing.
“That line is so thin and we have to find it.
“Today we concede these goals and it cannot be a part of our game if we want to be up there.”
Asked if he knows what is missing, Arteta replied: “Yeah, today it was clear.
I didn't think it had gone in at first!"
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Today, 19:40By Joe Brophy
Ollie Watkins has scored six Premier League goals against Arsenal, with four of those coming at the Emirates Stadium.
Since joining Aston Villa ahead of the 2020-21 season, no visiting player has scored more away goals against the Gunners than Watkins.
The boyhood Arsenal fan denies the club once again during another pivotal moment in the title race.
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Today, 19:28By Joe Brophy
The whistle goes and ARSENAL ARE DENIED!
Arsenal have failed to win a Premier League home game in which they led by 2+ goals for the first time since October 2019 (2-2 vs Crystal Palace), having won each of their last 46 before tonight.
Kai Havertz’s arm has prevented the Gunners from closing the gap to league leaders Liverpool.
Havertz thought he had helped the Gunners score a late winner against Aston Villa when Mikel Merino’s strike took a wicked deflection off of him and past Emiliano Martinez.
But the goal was ruled out after the ball was adjudged to have come off Havertz’s arm as Arsenal ultimately blew a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Villa
Had Arsenal held on for a win, they’d have been only four points behind Liverpool in the table.
But thanks to second-half goals from Watkins and Youri Tielemans in the space of eight minutes, the gap between the Reds and Arsenal sits at six points.
Arsenal have dropped 12 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season, their most in a single campaign since 2019-20 (21).
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Today, 19:26By Joe Brophy
LEANDRO TROSSARD SO CLOSE TO A WINNER!
Arsenal have been peppering the visitors since that Mikel Merino goal was ruled out and it's nearly that man who does it again.
Merino lashes an effort off the post from 18 yards out that falls kindly for Raheem Sterling to tee up Trossard.
However, the Belgian is denied by a sprawling save from Emi Martinez.
Trossard gets another bite of the cherry a minute later but drags a shot an inch wide of the far post.
Both he and Mikel Arteta sink to their knees!
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Today, 19:20By Joe Brophy
IT'S BEEN RULED OUT - WHAT DRAMA!
Mikel Merino's strike ricocheted off Kai Havertz's arm on its way through which wrong-footed Emi Martinez.
VAR swiftly acts to chalk off the goal and the Emirates boo roundly as the decision is confirmed around the stadium.
Mikel Arteta has sunk to his knees - he can't believe it!
It's happened to Havertz again - the German had a disallowed goal last season against Aston Villa for handball too.
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Today, 19:17By Joe Brophy
MERINO HAS WON IT!!
WHAT A HUGE GOAL THAT COULD BE!!!
The Spaniard provides another shocking twist in this breathless Premier League title race.
Merino lashes a half-volley into the ground from the edge of the area and it bounces up and over Emi Martinez.
BUT HANG ON?!
HAS IT STRUCK KAI HAVERTZ'S ARM?!
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Today, 19:11By Joe Brophy
Ollie Watkins and Mohamed Salah are the only two players to hit double figures for goals in each of the last five Premier League seasons.
The former won't get the chance to grab a potential winner as his number goes up and he is replaced by Jhon Duran.
As it stands his goal has put this match firmly in the balance with ten minutes plus stoppage-time still remaining.
There has been just three shots on target in the second half of this match, with all three finding the back of the net.
Arsenal soon follow suit by withdrawing their own goalscorer as Gabriel Martinelli is substituted for Raheem Sterling.
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Today, 18:58By Joe Brophy
WATKINS STRIKES AGAIN AT THE EMIRATES!!
Unai Emery's side are at it again in north London and the boyhood Gooner can't stop scoring against Arsenal.
He did it in this fixture last season that proved so pivotal in the title race and the England striker looks to have done it again!
It comes from a simple ball from Matty Cash that Leandro Trossard fails to get out quickly enough to block.
Kai Havertz in the Arsenal box gets caught underneath it and it drops for an unmarked Watkins at the back post to finish into the roof of the net.
Watkins has only scored more Premier League goals against Brighton (7) than Arsenal (6).
Since he joined Aston Villa ahead of the 2020-21 campaign, no player has scored more Premier League goals against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium than him (4)
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Today, 18:54By Joe Brophy
Youri Tielemans smacks the woodwork!
My goodness!
The Belgian so close to scoring two goals in two minutes with a thunderous strike from the edge of the area.
It falls kindly for the former Leicester City man who catches the ball sweetly on the volley and it rattles the outside of the far post.
The action doesn't let up from the restart either as Unai Emery does follow Mikel Arteta into the book.
That yellow card means he will serve a touchline ban!
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Today, 18:50By Joe Brophy
GAME ON?!
Tielemans stoops low to head home his first Premier League goal of the season.
It's substitute Lucas Digne who shows why he's Unai Emery's first-choice this season with a wicked cross from the left.
The Frenchman's pinpoint delivery is right on the penalty spot and Tielemans beats out Mikel Merino to get there first.
He then powers home a header past David Raya and now suddenly it's a fight at the Emirates!
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Today, 18:45By Joe Brophy
THAT'S THE ONE ARSENAL FANS WERE HOPING FOR!
Havertz finally gets his goal and now the home side have breathing room as they look to close the gap on Liverpool.
It's another Leandro Trossard assist as he whips across a dangerous cross from the left that Havertz meets on the half-volley.
It's straight at Emi Martinez but the power is too much for the Argentine to keep it out and it finds its way into the corner.
Each of Havertz's last 12 Premier League goals have been scored in London, the longest run by an Arsenal player since Lukas Podolski between December 2012 and April 2014 (also 12).
This is also the first time Trossard has assisted twice in a Premier League game since May 2023 v Wolves
Credit: AFPCopied
Today, 18:36By Joe Brophy
Unai Emery makes a change at the break and Ian Maatsen has missed his opportunity to make that left-back spot his own.
The summer signing from Chelsea who impressed on loan at Borussia Dortmund has been run ragged by Gabriel Martinelli.
Lucas Digne is on in his place.
Maatsen's showing won't dissuade Emery from testing out another former Dortmund star, with Donyell Malen waiting in the wings...
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Today, 18:21By Joe Brophy
Gabriel Martinelli's goal has put the Gunners in the driving seat at the break as the hosts look on course to close the gap to Liverpool.
Mikel Arteta's side raced out of the blocks at the Emirates but couldn't find the breakthrough they were in search of.
Aston Villa grew into the context and could have sprung a shock with Ollie Watkins having several half-opportunities on the break.
However, just as Unai Emery would have been feeling content with what he was seeing, Martinelli struck.
Arsenal won all 18 Premier League games they led at half-time in last season, but have drawn four of 11 such games this season (W7).
Arsenal also put in 20 crosses in the first half compared to Aston Villa's one - the Gunners have scored the most goals via crosses in the Premier League this season (10 - including today's opening goal).
Credit: GettyCopied
Today, 18:17By Joe Brophy
Unai Emery made the decision to bring in Ian Maatsen at left-back for Lucas Digne but he's been given a torrid time by Gabriel Martinelli.
47 percent of Arsenal's attacks in this game have come down their right hand side - Martinelli has had the most touches in the opposition box (8) and the joint-most shots (2) so far tonight.
He's also scored the decisive goal!
The Brazilian has more than stepped up to the challenge of changing position and deputising for the injured talisman Bukayo Saka.
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Today, 18:06By Joe Brophy
WHAT A HUGE GOAL THAT COULD BE FOR THE GUNNERS!
Martinez thinks he's kept Martinelli's shot out on the line but goalline technology has delivered the news Arsenal fans were hoping for!
The Brazilian ghosts in around the back of Maatsen for not the first time tonight and gets another contact on Trossard's cross to divert it goalwards.
ARSENAL HAVE NEVER LOST IN THE 43 MATCHES MARTINELLI HAS SCORED IN!
Martinelli has scored in three of his last four Premier League starts, equalling his league goal tally from last season (6) in 15 fewer appearances (20 this season, 35 last).
Trossard has recorded three assists in his last 10 Premier League appearances, as many as across his previous 51 league outings
To add insult to injury, Onana has picked up an injury in the build-up to that goal and needs to be replaced by Bogarde.
Credit: GettyCredit: AFPCopied
Today, 18:03By Joe Brophy
Mikel Arteta is shown a yellow card!
The Gunners boss is apoplectic following a throw-in that goes against his side and gives the fourth official an earful.
He's punished with a caution for dissent and is now one booking away from a touchline ban.
His counterpart Unai Emery would be banned if he follows Arteta in being shown a yellow card.
Credit: GettyCopied
Today, 17:57By Joe Brophy
Arsenal had 77 percent possession in the opening 10 minutes of this game, but it's slipped to just 32 percent in the following 10 minutes.
Villa's gameplan is starting to take shape and Morgan Rogers engineers their latest dangerous moment from inside his own box.
The England starlet shows great composure to dribble 15 yards from his goalline before finding Youri Tielemans with a neat reverse pass.
The latter then almost releases the run of Ollie Watkins in behind the Arsenal backline but it catches the striker on the back of his heel.
Had Watkins taken Tielemans' pass in his stride he was in on goal!
Credit: GettyCopied
Today, 17:46By Joe Brophy
BIG SAVE FROM DAVID RAYA!
The Arsenal goalkeeper has been a bystander for the first part of this game but is suddenly called into action on Villa's first attack.
Jacob Ramsey cuts across a driven low ball from the left-hand byline and home side don't clear their lines properly.
Ian Maatsen has a strike which riccochets back for him off Mikel Merino and his follow-up effort from 15 yards is goalbound.
However, Raya gets his full body behind the effort to beat it away.
They want to play their best game against us like we want to play our best game against them.
"If nobody is ready for a bumpy ride then this season will definitely be one."
Darwin Nunez has scored twice in a Premier League game for Liverpool for the fifth time in his career and for the second time as a substitute, previously doing so against Newcastle in August 2023.
Since his first Premier League campaign in 2022-23, only Jhon Durán (8) has scored more goals as a substitute than Liverpool’s Darwin Núñez (7), while he has more goal involvements as a substitute than any other player (11).
Credit: AFPCredit: GettyCopied
Today, 16:59By Jack Cunningham
Arne Slot's men left it late, but they've got the three points they needed!
It looked as if it was going to be a tale of more dropped points, with the game against Brentford locked at 0-0 heading into the final few minutes.
But it was Drawin Nunez who was the hero.
The Uruguayan came off the bench to score twice in stoppage time.
That is a massive win for the Reds who extend their lead at the top of the table to seven points.
Arsenal must now beat Aston Villa to avoid slipping further off the pace.
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