Final score, highlights, and outcome for Arsenal vs. Liverpool: Saka, Martinelli, and Trossard blast up the Premier League title race

Liverpool did not manage a shot on target during the first-half but went in level after a mix-up between William Saliba and David Raya resulted in a Gabriel own-goal

The Gunners trio were outdone by a combined Virgil van Dijk and Alisson howler midway through the second half that ended with Martinelli gleefully dispatching the ball into an empty net.

Ibrahima Konate was sent off for a second booking when he fouled Kai Havertz during the increasingly fractious closing stages before substitute Trossard brought the house down.

The first thing to say in response to that question is that Arsenal definitely can. It’s easy to forget that Arteta’s side were top at Christmas before back-to-back defeats to West Ham and Fulham. This was a stirring display and they have now beaten Manchester City and Liverpool on their own patch either side of a draw at Anfield. If the Gunners can remain unbeaten in that mini-league after their trip to the Etihad Stadium in late March then they will be firmly in the mix.

This certainly was not in the script for Liverpool, who appeared to have hit steamroller form on Jurgen Klopp’s prolonged farewell lap. Despite the dispiriting nature of this performance, the fact that they have only lost in north London this season means another long stretch without defeat is eminently possible. If City beat Brentford on Monday, they will be level on points with Arsenal and two behind Liverpool with a game in hand. As Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland return to fitness, the champions will like how this is shaping up.

A player would have to be playing very well indeed to earn the luck of an elite goalkeeper and centre-back missing the ball to let him put it into an empty net. The thing is, Martinelli probably deserved all that luck, even before his subtle nudge on Van Dijk encouraged the sky to fall in on the Liverpool skipper.

Tearing down the left flank during the first half and forcing Konate to work overtime, Martinelli deeply unsettled the Liverpool defence, who never truly recovered their poise from being a complete mess on Saka’s opener. Just as was the case when he scored the only goal against City in October, Martinelli netted the biggest goal of the day in a top-of-the-table clash. He’s the reason Arsenal are in the hunt for a first title in 20 years.