It was easy to get away from Thomas Partey, Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk admitted after Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal.
Bukayo Saka’s precise finish put Arsenal ahead, but Van Dijk headed in a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner after losing Partey in the box to level the score.
Mohamed Salah then slotted home late in the game to ensure Liverpool left with a point, before Mikel Merino netted his first for Arsenal to restore their lead.
Reflecting on his goal as per The Mirror, Van Dijk said: I was marked by Thomas Partey, and he just looked at me so it wasn’t difficult to get away from him.
I was there to tap a bit of luck; you needed it. ‘I try to be important on every set piece we have.’ To come back twice is a good thing, said Van Dijk, Liverpool’s resilience. And we take the point… now we move on to the Carabao Cup.
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Arsenal’s Defensive Woes
With Partey forced into the unfamiliar role of right back, Arsenal had to make several adjustments to their defence.
Ben White, who usually plays at right back, moved into the centre alongside Gabriel Magalhaes after the suspended William Saliba.
Arsenal were already thin on defensive options, and injuries also ruled out Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Arteta Pondered on Squad Adaptability
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta who promised his team would be flying prior to the game, was both proud and frustrated at his side’s display. It’s what it is; we had five injuries in the backline.
We have to adapt,” he said. Arteta was pleased with his squad’s effort but was not happy not to take all three points, adding, ‘I think we were better… especially in two things we had to do a lot better.’
But he put credit where it was due, saying his players had shown courage and now it was time to ‘build’ on this performance in the face of continuing squad issues.
