London, January 09: Arsenal missed a golden opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League 2025-26 to eight points as they faced a disappointing 0-0 draw with defending champions Liverpool at a rain-soaked Emirates Stadium on Thursday night. Mikel Arteta’s side had won their last seven home league matches and were hoping to put pressure on their title rivals, especially when Manchester City and Aston Villa had dropped points the night before. However, Liverpool—who were struggling with injuries and without a recognized striker—did not allow Arsenal to play freely. Arsenal controlled the ball early in the match, but Liverpool gradually gained momentum and came closest to taking the lead in the first half. Connor Bradley’s chip shot hit the crossbar, while Cody Gakpo’s follow-up shot was blocked by the defense. Arteta made several aggressive changes in the second half, but their impact was limited. Despite fielding the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Eberechi Eze and Nonny Madueke, Arsenal’s attacking line remained ineffective and the contest gradually faded away. With this draw, Arsenal remain at the top, six points ahead of Manchester City and Aston Villa, while Liverpool remain fourth and 14 points behind the top, despite a nine-match unbeaten league streak. Arsenal dominated the second half almost Remained missing. The team did not even get a corner till stoppage time and its famous set-piece strategy also did not work. There was disappointment on the faces of the players and spectators at the end of the match, although with 17 matches remaining, Arsenal are still considered favorites to win their first English league title since 2004. After the match, Arteta said, “The second half was very difficult for us. In such matches, a special moment is needed, which did not come. But if you cannot win, then you should not lose. We played six matches during Christmas and despite this we “We are in a strong position.”Liverpool deservedly got the point, although they suffered another injury blow at the end when Bradley left the field on a stretcher. During the incident, Gabriel Martinelli’s attempt to remove the injured player from the field was controversial and he was shown a yellow card. “We want to win, they also want to win, but a player’s health is more important than anything else,” Liverpool midfielder Dominic Szoboszli said. The match was set to be a stage for Arsenal to take the lead in the title race after losing points to Manchester City and Aston Villa. Arsenal dominated possession in the opening minutes, but were unable to create any major chances apart from a shot from Bukayo Saka. Liverpool, who were playing without key players like Hugo Aktike, Alexander Isak and Mohamed Salah, had the first big chance. Taking advantage of a misunderstanding between William Saliba and goalkeeper David Raya, Bradley fired a brilliant effort which unfortunately hit the crossbar. The pattern of the match did not change in the second half. Arsenal looked lethargic and Liverpool controlled the pace of the game. In the end, despite playing with four attackers, Arsenal failed to score a goal in the league for the first time since August. Thus, Arsenal had to be satisfied with a point at a crucial juncture in the title race.