Stephen Warnock and Ian Wright, pundits on Match of the Day 2, have suggested that Granit Xhaka’s momentary lapse in discipline was the catalyst for Liverpool’s fightback against Arsenal at Anfield. The Gunners had taken a two-goal lead in the match, but the Reds eventually managed to draw level, finishing the game with a 2-2 scoreline.
Warnock and Wright both agreed that Xhaka’s decision to kick out at Joe Gomez was the spark that ignited the Anfield crowd and inspired Liverpool to push for an equaliser. Xhaka was shown a yellow card for his actions, and Warnock believes that this was the moment that changed the game. He said: “I think it was a turning point in the game. The crowd got behind Liverpool and it gave them a lift.”
Wright was also in agreement, adding: “The crowd got behind them and it gave them a lift. It was a wake-up call for Arsenal, who had been in control of the game up until that point.”
The draw means that Arsenal remain top of the Premier League table, but they have now dropped points in three of their last four matches. Liverpool, meanwhile, have now gone unbeaten in their last five games, and are now just two points behind Arsenal in the standings.
The result of the match can be seen on BBC iPlayer’s Match of the Day 2 highlights show, which is available to UK users only. Stephen Warnock and Ian Wright will be providing their expert analysis of the game, and will be discussing the impact of Granit Xhaka’s momentary loss of discipline on the outcome of the match. They will also be looking ahead to the next round of Premier League fixtures and assessing how both teams are likely to fare in their upcoming matches.