Liverpool, April 5 (IANS) Arsenal were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw in their final trip to Goodison Park on Saturday, as a controversial penalty allowed Everton to steal a point from the Gunners. Despite taking a 1-0 lead into half-time through Leandro Trossard’s strike, the Gunners were pegged back just after the restart when Iliman Ndiaye converted from the spot.
Arsenal’s first real chance came 33 minutes into the match when Raheem Sterling’s pace saw him break through the Everton defence and find Trossard, who slotted a low shot past Jordan Pickford to score in successive seasons at Goodison. It could have been 2-0 in first-half stoppage time, but Trossard’s effort was denied by Pickford, and Declan Rice’s rebound was blocked by a defender.
Arsenal introduced the fit-again duo Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka off the bench for the second period. Just minutes after the restart, Myles Lewis-Skelly was adjudged to have fouled Jack Harrison in the box, with the referee awarding a penalty after a lengthy delay. Ndiaye stepped up to coolly send David Raya the wrong way and level the score.
Despite some moments of promise, including a powerful free-kick from Rice and a late effort from Gabriel Martinelli that Pickford brilliantly saved, Arsenal couldn’t find a winner. Martinelli’s shot was pushed over the bar by the Everton keeper, and a header from Mikel Merino went narrowly wide.
In the end, Arsenal’s unbeaten league run stretched to 11 matches, but the result left them with mixed feelings as they now turn their attention to their upcoming clash with Real Madrid in Europe. The draw marked the 113th and final league visit to Goodison Park for the Gunners.
–IANS
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