Mikel Arteta: 'Liverpool draw was one of the most intense games I have seen'

Owing to Aston Villa's failure to beat Sheffield United on Friday evening, the North London giants travelled to Anfield clinging onto top spot in the Premier League table, one point above the Lions and third-placed Liverpool.

Not since Arteta's playing heyday had Arsenal won a Premier League fixture at Anfield, when Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla were on target in a 2-0 success in September 2012, and the Gunners had thrown away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 on the Reds' turf at the back end of last season.

Arteta's men were on course to end that hoodoo after just four minutes, as Gabriel Magalhaes peeled away from Ibrahima Konate and headed home from Martin Odegaard's inswinging free kick, making history with Arsenal's earliest-ever Premier League goal at Anfield.

The Gunners' lead was wiped out just before the half-hour mark, though, as Mohamed Salah beat Oleksandr Zinchenko far too easily on the right-hand side, cutting onto his favoured left foot and leaving David Raya with no chance as he fired home into the roof of the net.

Prior to Saturday's game, Klopp had criticised the Anfield crowd for failing to bring the atmosphere in their EFL Cup thrashing of West Ham United in midweek, but there was no shortage of emotion from the home faithful on Saturday, as the two title rivals served up a frenetic but evenly-matched 90 minutes.

Both sides were guilty of poor final balls in the end-to-end battle, but Arsenal survived a couple of heart-in-mouth moments, as Odegaard escaped giving away a penalty for handball while a five-on-one counter-attack ended with Trent Alexander-Arnold striking the bar from close range.

Seven yellow cards were also brandished over the course of the match - five of which went to Arsenal - and Arteta was amazed at the "unbelievable" quality shown by both teams throughout the contest.

"It was an unbelievable game of football, one of the most intense and hectic games that I have witnessed in 20 years in this league," the Spaniard told the media in his post-game press conference.

"The quality, the intentions of both teams... It was superb to watch it and we as a team with the boys willing to play at that level, to have the courage to play at that level, the determination and belief to do what we've done here, I think my players deserve big, big credit."

Arsenal held out for a draw at Anfield last season without the services of William Saliba, who was named the Man of the Match for a steadfast showing alongside the equally impressive Gabriel in the heart of the Gunners defence.

Summer signing Declan Rice also produced another masterful midfield display to give Arsenal a much-needed measure of control in tough moments, and Arteta commended the trio for "phenomenal" performances.

"Those three were phenomenal but I think the whole team as well and how we step up to the level that they put today, is one of the best Liverpool's I've seen this year," Arteta added.

"They made life really difficult. The game became really, really chaotic, the crowd provokes that as well but we handled the situation really well. What they did today, in this stadium, in this atmosphere that they created as well was something else. The maturity and the courage that we showed, I think we should be really proud of our players."

Arsenal have four full days to recuperate from Saturday's energy-sapping contest before they welcome West Ham United to the Emirates for a London derby on Thursday evening.