The Gunners looked set to pay for any other moment of insanity from former captain Granit Xhaka when he become despatched off for slicing down Diogo Jota after simply 24 mins. However, Liverpool badly neglected the firepower of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane as they laboured to even create probabilities towards the 10 guys.
Chelsea already wait for the winners at Wembley subsequent month after the first leg, initially scheduled to be performed on the Emirates remaining week, become referred to as off due to a coronavirus outbreak the various Liverpool squad. The Reds have been lacking Salah and Mane because of their worldwide responsibilities on the Africa Cup of Nations. However, Liverpool otherwise had a smooth bill of health and Jurgen Klopp named the most powerful aspect to be had to him.
The home side had the better of a cagey establishing area with Ben White's miscued clearance from Takumi Minamino's pass that skewed simply wide the closest both aspect came earlier than the pink card. Xhaka has remained a key participant for Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta despite his disciplinary troubles. But he's going to leave out Sunday's north London derby towards Tottenham and the second leg subsequent Thursday after being sent off for the second time this season. Jota changed into played through on goal with the aid of Andy Robertson's pinpoint long ball and the Portuguese changed into brutally added down by way of Xhaka's lunge.
Arteta replied by sacrificing Eddie Nketiah for a further centre-back in Rob Holding and the traffic' again five held up properly regardless of Liverpool dominating possession. Minamino's mishit pass that sailed inches wide turned into the nearest Klopp's guys got here to creating the breakthrough before the German turned to his bench for the very last half hour. The Japanese had all of Liverpool's exceptional possibilities as he dragged his shot huge from a slender perspective halfway via the second one half.
Moments later a rare Arsenal foray ahead almost resulted inside the winner as Kieran Tierney picked out Bukayo Saka, however he couldn't beat Alisson Becker from near range. There turned into further concern for Arteta whilst Saka limped off inside the very last stages.
And all his facet's excellent work was nearly undone on the dying as Aaron Ramsdale flapped at a pass, but Minamino sliced high and wide with the aim gaping to go away all of it to play for inside the second leg on the Emirates on January 20.
