Mohamed Salah strikes late, saves Arsenal and saves Liverpool point | Premier League

The numbers speak for themselves. Mohamed Salah not only struggles against the weaker players in the Premier League, but also regularly causes damage to Liverpool's rivals in the so-called “Big Six”. And that's how it was here. Yet again.

The first half was a story of Bukayo Saka's outstanding performance for Arsenal. He scored a wonderful opening goal and after Virgil Van Dijk helped Liverpool get off the screen, there was Arsenal's first goal for Real Sociedad's summer signing Mikel Merino.

Mikel Arteta's team looked to be on their way to a comfortable win in a game they really couldn't afford to lose. Everything changed in the second half when Arsenal lost Gabriel Magalhães and then Jurriën Timber to injury. Their defensive reserves were already close to their limits. Now they've caught.

Liverpool didn't produce much and there was a feeling Arsenal could be primed for a triumph with their backs against the wall. But the visitors just had to create something, and when they did, Salah ensured a result that increased the feel-good factor under Arne Slot.

It was Darwin Núñez who made the final pass after a lovely ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold down the inside right channel, and there was Salah who swept the ball into the goal. Was there even a shred of doubt about the outcome when the low cross reached him? The statistics show that Salah has scored a total of 62 goals and assists in 73 appearances against Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and the Manchester clubs. It was his 11th goal in 15 league games against Arsenal.

The draw was a fair result, although Arsenal would go on a rampage at the very end when Gabriel Jesus had the ball in the net. The referee, Anthony Taylor, had blown his whistle long ago, although at that moment it was not entirely clear why he had done so. Maybe it was due to a foul by another substitute, Jakub Kiwior, during the build-up to the game. Kai Havertz got the ball over Caoimhín Kelleher and against a post, but the game was clearly dead.

It would be wrong to fixate on that moment, no matter how much the Arsenal fans cheered on the way out of the stadium. From their perspective, it would be better to acknowledge the impressive first-half performance, highlighted by Saka, who returned from a hamstring injury.

It's worth reflecting on how he manipulated space for the breakthrough goal and how he captivated Andy Robertson inside and out with a touch of mesmerizing brilliance. Saka's first attempt was to take a long ball from Ben White up the channel under his influence, but it was all about the second; a mischievous nutmeg at Robertson with the outside of his left boot as he cut into it. It was even slightly stunned, which opened up the opportunity to shoot. Saka hit Kelleher's shot high at the near post.

Liverpool weren't down for long. Van Dijk had shown he was up to the fight by taking on the ball with Havertz right from the start and firing two shots at the Arsenal striker. Taylor called for a free kick but took no further action. Which was confusing. Van Dijk was then a target for the home crowd.

Salah had half a chance wasted after a miscontrol from Merino as Van Dijk stuck his head where it hurt to bring his team level. It was an inward Alexander Arnold corner from the left, and Luis Díaz was the first to get the ball ahead of Havertz. Van Dijk got ahead of Thomas Partey in a crowded six-yard box.

Arsenal roared back, the intensity of their first half performance was truly impressive; The same clearly applies to the way Saka played. Whenever he stormed in, alarm bells rang at Liverpool. He was often too fast and too tricky; always have control over the situation.

Arsenal's second shot came after a free-kick routine they tested on the road in the 19th minute. Declan Rice hit the ball over the goal from the right, Merino controlled his run. The first time, Merino clashed with Partey and the chance was lost. Now, in the 43rd minute, he hit it just right, the header opened the net, and after a chaotically long video review by the assistant referee, it turned out that Van Dijk's shoe had hit it just wide.

Arteta was without the suspended William Saliba and the injured Riccardo Calafiori and his solution was to use Partey at right-back, move White into the middle and ask Timber, who had passed a late fitness test, to step in at left-back. But he had to make a move when Gabriel appeared to hit his knee in the turf and was forced off the pitch in the 54th minute, and Timber later succumbed to cramps. Kiwior and Myles Lewis-Skelly were the substitutes.

Liverpool sensed there could be something in it for them. In the second half they held the ball more easily and pushed; their territorial dominance was pronounced. Confidence breeds patience in such situations, and Liverpool have plenty of that after starting life under slot. They also have Salah.