Gunners secure initiative with 10

TEN-MAN Arsenal displayed all the resilience and fight which was missing in their weekend FA Cup exit as a goalless draw at Liverpool saw them carry the initiative into next week’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg.

Granit Xhaka’s second red card in just 13 appearances this season handed Liverpool the numerical advantage for 71 minutes of this tie but they had been well below their best before that and they struggled even more against an organised 5-3-1 formation.

Arsenal actually performed better with a man less and Bukayo Saka’s thrusting runs down the right ensured their hosts always had to be aware of his threat.

The England midfielder also forced the best save of the night from Alisson Becker – remarkably making his League Cup debut after three-and-ahalf-years – midway through the second half.

Liverpool had 78% possession but managed to force Aaron Ramsdale into only one save – in added time – from the 17 attempts they had.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had wanted a one-off game.

He said: “I thought we started well. How we wanted to start. I would have preferred to score a goal rather than them getting a red card.

“In the second half with the few changes we made we had clearer situations. It looked better but not good enough for a better result.

“But it’s a two-leg game and it’s half-time. I’ve never been at 0-0 at half-time and thought ‘we have no chance’.”

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta claimed he had not seen a replay of Xhaka’s sending-off.

He told Sky Sports: “They showed great fight, determination and brotherhood. They never gave up even though it’s extremely difficult against this opponent.

“I said to the players before the game that you have to have a certain attitude and in difficult moments you have to react, and I think the boys did that very well. We played the game we had to play.

“I haven’t seen it back but if they checked it it’s probably a red card.

“I’m expecting now our fans will create an even better atmosphere (in the second leg) than today.”

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker saves from Bukayo Saka in the Carabao Cup clash between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield.