Egypt’s Salah scores against Arsenal again in Liverpool’s thrilling 3-3 draw

Ahram Online , Reuters , Friday 22 Dec 2017

Mohamed Salah
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah shoots and scores his sides 2nd goal of the game during their English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates stadium London, Friday, Dec. 22, 2017 (AP)

Liverpool’s red-hot winger Mohamed Salah went three goals clear on top of the Premier League scoring charts after netting against Arsenal again in an exhilarating 3-3 draw on Friday.

The Egyptian international, who also scored against Arsenal in Liverpool’s 4-0 victory in August, made it 2-0 at the Emirates in the 52nd minute for his 15th Premier League goal, three clear of Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane.  

Salah started the move in his own half, racing upfield to exchange passes with Roberto Firmino and send a left-footed curler that took a slight deflection off Shkodran Mustafi and went into the corner of the net past the despairing dive of Petr Cech.

The 25-year-old also created Liverpool's opening goal, which Philippe Coutinho scored in the first half. 

Liverpool looked to be cruising to a comfortable win after going 2-0 up but they dramatically collapsed in five second-half minutes, allowing Arsenal to make it 3-2 with goals from Alexis Sanchez, Granit Xhaka and Mesut Oezil.

However, Liverpool equalized in the 71st minute when a shot from Firmino struck Cech’s hands and looped into the net.

Both sides could have snatched a winner in the closing stages but had to settle for a point which left Liverpool in fourth spot with 35 points to fifth-placed Arsenal's 34.

Liverpool had scored at least three goals in each of their four Premier League matches against Arsenal under Klopp, winning three and drawing one, and found the Gunners defence in flimsy mood again as the festive programme opened with a cracker.

The visitors suffered an early blow when skipper Jordan Henderson limped off with a hamstring injury. However, his replacement James Milner began the goal rush when he released Salah whose cross was glanced home by Coutinho for his first ever headed goal for the Reds.

Firmino had already squandered two glorious headed chances for Liverpool while Salah missed two gilt-edged opportunities shortly before halftime as Liverpool carved open Arsenal's rearguard.

The Gunners trudged off to a chorus of boos at halftime and were no better at the start of the second half as Salah was allowed to maraud forward unopposed before curling Liverpool's second past Cech, his shot deflecting off Shkodran Mustafi.

Arsene Wenger's side had offered nothing but were given a lifeline when Sanchez, invisible before halftime, punished Liverpool's dozing defence to head home Ozil's cross.

Xhaka then let fly and although his shot swerved, it should have been stopped by Simon Mignolet who was guilty of a poor error. Liverpool were stunned and the sky fell in on them when Ozil fired Arsenal in front after a superb back heel by Alexandre Lacazette to send the home crowd into delirium.

It seemed unlikely that would be the end of the drama and so it proved as Firmino turned and struck a powerful left-foot shot that Cech could only parry and the ball looped into the net. 

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