Roberto Firmino may be struggling for consistency after a big money move from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim during the summer, but the Brazilian is increasingly looking like the player for the big occasion with two first half goals twice giving Liverpool the lead in a tense 3-3 draw Arsenal at Anfield yesterday.
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“I felt we had an apprehensive start”.
It had looked like Olivier Giroud’s brace after Aaron Ramsey’s strike would be enough to mean Roberto Firmino’s double counted for little.
Firmino restored the advantage just minutes later with a superb curled finish from outside the penalty area, but once again the Gunners swiftly responded as Olivier Giroud prodded Mesut Ozil’s corner beyond Simon Mignolet at the near post.
“I’m very disappointed, but overall I can not fault the effort and commitment of the team”, Arsenal manager Wenger told the BBC.
Neither team stopped pressing, allowing Allen to capitalise on fellow substitute Christian Benteke’s header across the box in the last minute of normal time, securing Liverpool a share of the spoils.
“At this moment there is an explosion, of course, but at the final whistle you can not ignore that one or two things were not good – you have to speak about this before the next game and we will do that”.
The Liverpool manager introduced new central defensive signing Steven Caulker as an emergency centre-forward as his team chased the game at 3-2. “We have to remain calm and believe in what we’re doing”.
“I feel they need to transform that frustration into more motivation for the next game because there are more positives than negatives tonight. We had 17 shots, but for different reasons we didn’t score”.
James McClean earned West Brom a share of the spoils at Stamford Bridge as the Baggies drew 2-2 with Chelsea.
Jermain Defoe scored his first Premier League hat-trick since November 2009 to guide Sunderland to a 4-2 win at 10-man Swansea that boosted the Black Cats’ survival hopes.
The Frenchman has divided opinion as to whether he has the pedigree to lead the line in a title-winning side but there would have been few dissenters when he swivelled and stroked the ball into the net to put Arsenal ahead on 55 minutes.
Alberto Moreno flashed an attempt over from a presentable opportunity early in the second half, while Walcott produced an excellent solo run at the other end before firing just wide.
Goals from Shane Long and Dusan Tadic gave Southampton a 2-0 win over Watford.
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Stoke City also managed to notch three points with a 3-1 home triumph over Norwich – John Walters and Joselu getting on the scoresheet before a Bennett own-goal sealed the Canaries’ fate.
