After the interval, though, Gabriel Martinelli pulled a goal back just after half-time when he escaped the marking of Ibrahima Konate and then Trent Alexander-Arnold was brought on to boos and jeers.

Trent Alexander-Arnold reception

In the first game since Trent Alexander-Arnold announced that he would be leaving Liverpool — not saying that Real Madrid was his destination, but with that very much an open secret — Conor Bradley was chosen to start ahead of the number 66.



Salah might have clapped him onto the field, but plenty inside Anfield wanted to show their displeasure, as they are perfectly entitled to do.

Arsenal stage rousing Liverpool comeback as Trent Alexander-Arnold booed - 7 talking points	Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal: 5 talking points as Anfield’s party mood turns sour	Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal: Three talking points

At the same time, the party atmosphere before his introduction showed what Alexander-Arnold will miss.



Arsenal claps Liverpool on

While taking a look at social media might paint a different picture (and even some of Mikel Arteta's comments leading up to the game were odd), Arsenal was full of respect for Liverpool on the day.

David Raya made a point of going over to opposite number Alisson Becker before the game to congratulate him.

While it will depend to some extent on how big Manchester City goes in the summer transfer window (and the outcome of the 115 charges that have been leveled at the Etihad side, of course), Liverpool and Arsenal could be the top two teams in the country again next season

If that is the case, that should surprise no one — both are starting from solid bases.

You cannot glean too much from a game in which both teams would have been within their rights to be distracted to some degree — it would be remarkable if Arsenal dropped out of the top four from here — but Liverpool looked sharp and set a marker in the first half and then faded in the second
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