Liverpool reached half-time level against Arsenal on Thursday evening, and in what was a largely cagey first half at the Emirates Stadium, it was Conor Bradley who came closest to breaking the deadlock.
Clear-cut opportunities were few and far between, but the young full-back produced a moment of daring that nearly silenced the home crowd and shifted the mood of the contest.
Before kick-off, Gary Neville had urged Liverpool to go to north London and “make a statement,” even though many observers had already written the Reds off against the league leaders.
Arsenal dominated possession and spent much of the opening 20 minutes camped in Liverpool’s half, yet for all their territorial control, they struggled to seriously threaten Alisson Becker. The Brazilian goalkeeper was rarely called into action as Arsenal’s patient build-up failed to translate into genuine danger.
Gradually, Arne Slot’s side began to find their rhythm. Around the 25-minute mark, Liverpool started to press higher up the pitch, move the ball with more confidence, and look increasingly comfortable against Arsenal’s intensity. It was during this promising spell that they came agonisingly close to stunning the Emirates crowd.
The moment came when Bradley attempted to play a pass forward towards Jeremie Frimpong, only for William Saliba to intercept. However, Saliba’s backpass took an unfortunate deflection off Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, falling perfectly into Bradley’s path.
Quick to react and showing remarkable awareness, the Northern Ireland international noticed Raya off his line and attempted an audacious chip. The effort beat the goalkeeper but crashed against the underside of the crossbar, bouncing back into play rather than into the net. Cody Gakpo was alert to the rebound, but his follow-up was well blocked by Jurrien Timber, preventing Liverpool from taking a shock lead.
On another night, Bradley’s bold attempt might have found the back of the net. BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Andros Townsend later described the 22-year-old as unfortunate not to score, praising the strike as a “hell of an effort” that deserved a better outcome. The moment underlined Liverpool’s growing confidence and willingness to take risks despite the hostile environment.
In the build-up to the match, many pundits had predicted a difficult evening for Liverpool, yet their first-half performance told a different story.
Defensively, they were organised and disciplined, limiting Arsenal to an expected goals figure of just 0.3 in the opening 45 minutes, according to Sofascore. This was particularly encouraging given the criticism Liverpool have faced for their defensive frailties earlier in the season.
At the time of writing, the score remained goalless, though Arsenal were expected to push harder after the break as they chased a win that could move them eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table. Still, Liverpool’s resolute display in the first half suggested they were more than capable of competing on the night.
If the Reds can maintain the same level of focus, intensity, and bravery after the interval, they may yet create another opportunity similar to Bradley’s. And next time, with a little more fortune, that decisive moment could finally find its way into the Arsenal net.
