MY ACCOUNT
Jurgen Klopp was left stunned and struggling to explain how Liverpool did not triumph after Aaron Ramsdale’s two brilliant late saves secured a 2-2 draw for Arsenal.
Ramsdale expertly tipped a curling Mohamed Salah effort around the post before denying Ibrahima Konate from point-blank range as Liverpool were denied a last-gasp winner at Anfield on Sunday.
Those remarkable stops from England goalkeeper Ramsdale staved off hopes of a comeback victory for the Reds, who battled back from 2-0 down for a share of the Premier League spoils after goals from Salah and Roberto Firmino.
Liverpool manager Klopp was impressed with his side’s reaction against the table-toppers after early goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus, though he was without answers as to how the Reds did not manage to snatch victory.
He told Sky Sports: “It’s a little bit typical for us this season. Arsenal have an open game, completely open, and they score with the first situation and not too long after they scored the second one. Our reaction was obviously good.
“It was a spectacular game in the end. How we didn’t win it I don’t know, with those chances we had. In the end it’s a point and a good reaction on the two goals we conceded and that’s positive.
“But I’m caught in between. I have no problems with drawing. For Arsenal, it’s a super-important point because if you draw these kind of games you have a good chance to become champions. You cannot always be super, super, super convincing.
“They were good, but I think they would agree they could or should have lost this game today. They didn’t, so the point for them is better than for us, but it’s one for us as well.”
Klopp said Salah’s goal shortly before half-time “helped massively”.
“We were in half-time [and thinking] OK, this game is not over, and maybe it didn’t really even start. It was a sensational atmosphere, then we missed the penalty, and we got the equaliser at a good moment.”
He added: “All of a sudden we were in charge in a wild game. In the end we deserved at least a point.”
Klopp said Ramsdale’s save from Salah in the closing stages was “exceptional”, and added of the later chance: “If Ibou [Konate] uses his head, the ball goes under the crossbar, so then it’s a goal. Maybe Ibou slipped. He had a chance, it was just there.”
An entertaining draw left Liverpool 12 points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester United, and a chance to play in the Champions League next season is slipping away.
The end-to-end thriller was somewhat marred by a half-time incident involving Andy Robertson, as the left-back appeared to be caught by an elbow from assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis.
Scotland captain Robertson seemed to be approaching Hatzidakis before television cameras captured a video of the official appearing to raise his elbow and make contact with the Liverpool defender.
Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the body responsible for Premier League match officials, said it will investigate the footage after being made aware of the incident.
Klopp says the video evidence will tell the story as Liverpool await a decision from the PGMOL.
Asked for his thoughts on the incident, Klopp said: “I know what happened, but I didn’t watch it. If it happened, the pictures will speak probably for themselves.”
