Liverpool's late show and Arsenal's collapse: Was Saturday the decisive day for the Premier League title race? | Football news

At 4.48pm on Saturday, Arsenal had hopes of catching Liverpool. By the end of the day, Arne Slott's men had one hand on the cup. Was this the decisive day in the title race?

Heading into stoppage time in west London with Liverpool drawing 0-0 against Brentford, Arsenal fans sitting in their seats at the Emirates Stadium were sensing an opportunity.

Can they close the gap to just two points?

But then Darwin Nunez did Darwin Nunez things.

It turns out Liverpool were just teasing.

Nunez's late double sent the club to a huge three points in these circumstances and Arsenal's chance to make a serious move in the title race evaporated. By the time the final whistle blew in a frenetic 2-2 draw with Aston Villa, the home team's fans were putting their heads in their hands.

The difference is now six points and Liverpool have a game in hand.

According to the bookmakers, Slot's men now have a 77 per cent chance of winning the title – the highest odds any team has achieved this season.

“The swing is huge,” he said. Sky Sports“Paul Merson.”

“I would be shocked if Liverpool don't go on to win the title from here. For me, it was too easy against Arsenal, they were too weak.

“If you want to win the Premier League, you have to show up every day, every week. You have to be ready to do it.

“I've supported Arsenal the last couple of years and I think you know what they haven't had, they pushed one of the best teams we've ever seen until the penultimate game and into the last game.

“Now I'm watching them and I think, 'Do they get it? When push comes to shove like today?'

Sky Sports Gary Neville said in commentary: “Arsenal blew a 2-0 lead here. There are some very depressed faces on the pitch and around this pitch.

“It's a great day in the title race, and it's heading more towards Liverpool.”

Arsenal were in complete control of their encounter with Aston Villa, leading 2-0, but quick goals from Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins from crosses that exposed Arsenal's weakness without William Saliba turned the match on its head.

“They're schoolboy mistakes,” Merson said of both goals. “It's not like teams open them up and say: 'Oh my God.'

“I don't care what division you're in, these two goals can be stopped if you do your job.

“All you ask as a coach is for the players to get out on that field and do their job.

“And today some players let Mikel Arteta down and I don’t think it’s because the team is shallow because today we saw two big mistakes – Mikel Merino allowing Tielemans to escape from him and frankly, I can’t believe what I just saw with Thomas Partey.” (Leaving Watkins free to score the equaliser.)

Arteta: Liverpool's substitutes won it for them but we are very short

Arsenal Mikel Arteta said 'Too short' and hinted the club must act in the January transfer window following their 2-2 draw with Villa.

Asked whether this was a pivotal moment in the title race due to Liverpool's victory, he said: “There are moments. It is clear that they were able to do it.”

“They made the substitutions, the subs had an impact, they were able to change the game.

“And on our side, it was the opposite, although after conceding two goals so close to each other, the danger was, because I knew how the team was, that we could go down because we were physically exhausted.

“The team found another tool to get going again and put Aston Villa there, in the penalty area, and then went and got going again, trying to find the goal that we couldn't score in the end.”

Despite his team being tired, Arteta used just one substitute in the form of on-loan Raheem Sterling, who was unable to make any impact.

Asked whether the circumstances confirmed the need for reinforcements in January, he said: “Not the result. When you look at the performances, I don’t know how many teams play at this level in the league, but when you look at the bench.” You might say, 'I think we're too short.'

In response to a question about whether he was worried about Saliba’s injury, he added: “Yes, definitely. Especially with the numbers in the team and looking at the bench. Very worried.”

He added: “In attack and defense, the level we play is very high. We were very good but there is something missing, this line is very fine.”

“Today we cannot concede the goals we scored. This line is very thin. We have been punished before and we cannot do that.”

Analysis: If Salah doesn't get to you, the substitutes will

Olly Yeo from Sky Sports:

Nunez and Liverpool came out well in the end, and Slott's ability to empty Liverpool's bench with new attacking options could be crucial in their bid to win a first title in five years.

Liverpool, even without the injured Diogo Jota, racked up an astonishing 37 shots at Brentford – a record for an away side in the Premier League – but it was their ability to maintain that pressure with fresh legs that eventually saw them over the goal line. .

It was Nunez who saved the occasion, but Harvey Elliott, who has not played as many minutes as he would have liked this season, also played a key role from the bench and set up the second goal.

If Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz and Cody Jacobo can't understand you, Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott will! And when other teams in the league are struggling with injuries and depleted squads, that depth could be the deciding factor in Liverpool's bid to bring the title back to Anfield.

Frank: Liverpool is at a higher level

Brentford coach Thomas Frank compares Liverpool favorably with Arsenal and Manchester City:

“I think we've just played City, Arsenal and now Liverpool, in a short space of time. For me, (Liverpool) is the higher level of the two teams. They're complete. Their work ethic, the way they come back, are good indicators.

“They are so good all over the pitch. Such a threat in attack. They are really good. They are the best team in the Premier League and in the world. They are heavy favorites to win it (the title).”