Today's Premier League focus game, Liverpool hosts Arsenal, and it is another passionate and controversial game. In the 21st minute of the game, there was a hotly debated scene: Arsenal captain Odegaard accidentally handballed in the middle of the box, but the referee ignored it. Slow-release replays undoubtedly showed that it was a standard handball in the box, and the penalty should have been a sure thing. The omission of the verdict made Liverpool fans very unhappy, after all, this is the world's top competition, and such a low-level mistake is really unacceptable.
Then, Arsenal's blitzkrieg was impressive, reflecting the energy and drive of their young players. Liverpool didn't seem to be in the game yet, with Arsenal quick to score in celebration. That's exactly Arteta's tactical style. Odegaard's foul in his own penalty area was undoubtedly a turning point for the whole Liverpool team in their efforts to chase points. Unfortunately, those efforts were wiped out by the referee's decision.
Luckily, Liverpool showed their quality as England's oldest team, levelling the scoresheet in just nine minutes to bring the game back to the starting point. In this goal, Liverpool's long ball tactics and Salah's individual skills were perfectly combined, showing their excellent form and the timeliness of their tactical design. At the same time, Arsenal's efforts to score points at Anfield cannot be ignored, even if they seem to have the help of the referee.
Once the match entered the equilibrium phase, both men began to experiment with their own tactical routines in the hope of defeating their opponents. Arsenal's defensive system in particular deserves a special note, with Rice, Saliba and Gabriel performing very well as being no slouch in their confrontation with Liverpool's front, which was key to keeping the score balanced.
It is worth mentioning that Arsenal's defensive consistency has improved significantly this season. This has nothing to do with Mikel Arteta's tuning and the addition of Rice, who no longer lost their advantage after taking the lead as they did last season.
For Liverpool, this game is a little regrettable. Apart from the penalty that was not awarded, they were not efficient enough in central midfield, which had to do with the performance of the players and the conditions of the pitch. Especially on the counter-attack, Salah and Dias had a few times when they didn't get off to a good start because the pitch was slippery, which was a real challenge for them to win with speed.
In short, the game was not just about controversial decisions, but also about the skills and tactics of two top teams. The matchup between Liverpool and Arsenal has undoubtedly added more passion and excitement to the Premier League.