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Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal: Player ratings as Gunners stay top of the Premier League for Christmas

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Arsenal will spend Christmas at the top of the Premier League after battling to a 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday evening. Needing simply to avoid defeat to cement their position, Arsenal enjoyed the perfect start when Gabriel headed home after just three minutes, but Mohamed Salah's equaliser midway through the first half restored parity. Trent Alexander-Arnold struck the crossbar in a lively second half but ultimately had to settle for a share of the spoils. How the game unfolded Arsenal weren't far off opening the scoring in the first minute. Bukayo Saka's cross caused chaos and Gabriel Jesus saw a strike deflected perilously over the crossbar. But the lead would come three minutes later as Gabriel rose highest to head home a free-kick from Martin Odegaard, surviving a tense VAR check before seeing his opening goal awarded. Liverpool dominated possession in their search for an equaliser but it was Arsenal who looked most threatening, with Odegaard dragg...

Arsenal 2-2 Fulham: Player ratings as Palhinha snatches late point for Cottagers

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Arsenal played out a breathless 2-2 draw at home to Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon. The Gunners stumbled through large swathes of their opening two Premier League fixtures but managed to beat Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace. Quick-fire goals from Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah at the Emirates threatened to bail out Arteta's side once again but Joao Palhinha swept in a late equaliser for Fulham from a poorly defended corner. Fulham nervily survived a late flurry of set pieces from Arsenal to emerge with a point. How the game unfolded A mere 57 seconds had elapsed before Fulham took the lead at the Emirates Stadium. Saka began a record-breaking appearance with a wayward back-pass which Andreas Pereira pounced upon. Aaron Ramsdale back-pedalled so furiously he tripped over his own toes while watching Pereira's chip bounce into his net. This was not new territory for Arsenal. Mikel Arteta's side trailed after eight seconds when Bournemouth arrived at th...

Liverpool 1-1 Aston Villa: Player ratings as Firmino strikes late in Anfield farewell

Roberto Firmino nabbed an 89th-minute equaliser on his final appearance at Anfield, saving a point for Liverpool in a 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa on Saturday. Manchester United's victory over Bournemouth on the same day left Liverpool's Champions League aspirations hanging by a thread, but Firmino ensured that they are still tentatively intact. Villa started the Game confidently, refusing to blindly blast the ball up the pitch in the face of Liverpool's feverish pressure. John McGinn swept a delicate first-time pass around the corner as the visitors pierced through their hosts in transition. Ollie Watkins managed to toe the ball ahead of Ibrahima Konate, luring the centre-back into an ill-timed lunge which earned a blatant spot kick. Watkins dusted himself off to line up his sights from 12 yards but got the calibration all wrong, planting his penalty kick well wide of Alisson's net. Liverpool wasted the lifeline Watkins handed them. Villa came out on top in an impr...