Arsenal 3-3 Liverpool, RESULT: Roberto Firmino snatches point after Mesut Ozil, Granit Xhaka and Alexis Sanchez lead extraordinary five-minute comeback at the Emirates

The big winners? None of these two sides. I guess you could call football the winner but a point doesn't really do much for either these teams in the top four chase, although Liverpool will be perhaps the happier team with the draw.

In terms of the battle for a Champions League place, it seems fitting that Burnley against Tottenham follows tomorrow...

That's all from me here this evening. Catch the post-match reaction on the homepage and thanks for following.

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'Superb to watch. But the flaws of both sides ultimately outweigh the positives. Both teams have a whiff of a Kevin Keegan team about them. They play off pure adrenalin. But only part of the equation. It never enough.'

90+3min: Incredibly there are plenty of Arsenal fans who have already made their way for the exits. How can you leave a game early? Especially this one!

90+1min: We are into four added minutes at the Emirates Stadium. Surely there is at least one big chance left in this bonkers contest.

89min: Walcott comes on for Sanchez moments after a Liverpool counter sees Wijnaldum play Salah into the box, only for the forward to fire wide at the near post.

87min: Three minutes to go and it's looking quite even between the teams as Liverpool remain set-up on the counter attack. Theo alcott is getting ready to come in Arsenal's final switch.

84min: Quite a few boos for Oxlade-Chamberlain as he takes to the pitch against his former club, replacing Philippe Coutinho in the process. Bit harsh from Gunners fans?

83min: Among all this action I completely forgot about the game's sub plot. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is preparing to come on as Liverpool's final change. He couldn't, could he?

80min: Liverpool meanwhile look the happier side with a point as Georginio Wijnaldum bolsters the midfield after replacing Sadio Mane in their second switch.

78min: Second change for Arsenal and Arsene Wenger wants three points as he sends on Danny Welbeck for Iwobi.

77min: Finally, a positive from a goalkeeper - sort of. Hector Bellerin's shot from the right looked like it was heading over but Mignolet wasn't to know as he tips over the bar.

74min: Amongst all the goals, time to tell you Alex Iwobi has picked up a yellow card. Even with just 16 minutes I don't think the goals are done yet - yes plural. Defences have been just that poor this evening.

'This game encapsulates the dilemma of the Premier League. All around Europe, they’ll be loving this on TV. All around Europe, they’ll be despairing at the lack of defensive coherence.'

71min: Well, well, well. This game produces another extraordinary twist. This time it's Petr Cech making a bit of a howler as his weak effort to try and deny Roberto Firmino's shot results in him only helping it loop into the air and into the Arsenal net. We are all square again!

67min: Liverpool are still moping around feeling sorry for themselves. Sadio Mane breaks down the right but after cutting inside he loses the ball as the Reds first real attack since going 2-0 up ends without a shot on goal.

64min: Liverpool look totally shellshocked by what has happened to them. I'm totally shellshocked. It's like the Liverpool team put their feet up after going 2-o up and they haven't recovered since.

'Since half time, Arsenal had look incoherent, as though there was no team talk. And terrified when Salah runs at them. And yet they find themselves back in the game, which pretty much sums up the problems with Arsenal and with Liverpool. Still, always good to watch.

'You may be surprised to learn that Arsenal are by far the greatest team the world has ever seen. (According to their fans). Because it didn’t look that way for the first 52 minutes.'

58min: This is madness! What on earth has happened to Liverpool?! Lacazette's through ball finds Mesut Ozil inside the box and the German simply pokes the ball past Mignolet to give Arsenal the lead. Five minutes ago, they were 2-0 down...

56min: And just like that Arsenal are level! Granit Xhaka's long range strike is well hit and does swerve in the air but it's straight at Simon Mignolet who can only parry it into his own goal.

54min: But it's not over yet! Just 40 seconds after Salah's strike, Hector Bellerin's back post cross is headed in by Alexis Sanchez, with Joe Gomez caught napping.

52min: Brutal. Absolutely brutal from Liverpool. The Reds counter attack from just about their own goal line as Mohamed Salah breaks down the right.

The forward combines with Firmino before cutting into the centre to take a return pass and from there the Egyptian simply cuts onto his left foot and bends a beauty into the bottom corner.

48min: Better start to the half for Arsenal as they win a corner, but Alexis Sanchez's near post delivery is hopeless and it allows Liverpool to counter.

In fact that counter leads to a Reds chance but Mohamed Salah's low effort across goal is too weak and allows Petr Cech to collect.

Nacho Monreal appears to have picked up an ankle injury and has been replaced by Shkodran Mustafi.

'Shkodran Mustafi on bench taking kit off so looks like some major changes at half time.'

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‘Liverpool have absolutely dominated this game. Arsenal are all at sea. They are all over the place. This is a great result for Arsenal at half-time going in 1-0 down.

'You don’t come away from home and have so much of the chances. It just keeps on going. Arsenal I don’t think have had a shot on goal. This game should be out of sight. It should be 3-0 or 4-0.’

Arsene Wenger picked Ainsley Maitland-Niles to try and shut down Mohamed Salah, but in truth it's really not worked.

Salah has been heavily involved in most of Liverpool's first half attacking play - a first half where Liverpool could quite easily be 3-0 up.

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'Almost everything Liverpool create is coming down their right side, Arsenal’s left, where Maitland-Niles is horribly exposed.

'Arsenal need a complete re-think. I would imagine Klopp would be annoyed to be only 1-0 up at half time. Boos all round at The Emirates.'

45+1min: We are into three added minutes and while both sides continue to make sloppy errors on the ball, Jurgen Klopp takes out his frustrations on the fourth official.

44min: Koscielny owes Cech a pint, or at least some sort of gift over Christmas. The centre-back's slip allows Salah to race in on goal but the forward's shot is saved before Sadio mane's scissors kick on the rebound flies over the bar. Liverpool really should be 2-0 up.

43min: Arsenal have looked a bit off colour in this half, not quite hopeless but they are certainly not at their best even if they starting to put pressure on Liverpool at the end of this half.

'Arsenal fans around the press box getting increasingly frustrated with Alexis Sanchez. He’s moved into that ‘difficult phase’, the last six months when a player is clearly going. And he’s not playing well.'

37min: But Ozil can only strike the wall. The ball goes out for a corner but inc again the German's delivery is cut out as Dejan Lovren heads clear.

36min: In fact here is a chance for Arsenal as they win a free-kick just short of 30 yards to the Liverpool goal towards the right. Mesut Ozil stands over...

33min: Close to 2-0! Sadio Mane slips a pass forward for Firmino who after cutting onto his right foot curls a shot marginally too high for the top corner.

Arsenal have responded reasonably well since falling behind. It's rather end-to-end at this point but Jurgen Klopp's side look sharper at this stage.

'A stunning 27 of Liverpool's last 32 goals have been scored by one of the 'fab four'. But the beauty of that one was in Milner's pass to release Salah. Liverpool deservedly ahead and Arsenal labouring.'

'All too typical from Arsenal. So many gaps in the back four and defensive midfield. which, over the last ten minutes Coutinho has been enjoying.'

26min: Three strikes and you're out! Salah counters down the right and although his cross takes a big deflection off Laurent Koscielny's boot, alert inside the box is Philippe Coutinho to head Liverpool into a deserved lead. Yes, that is his first headed Premier League goal.

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25min: Arsenal are not learning either. This time it's Coutinho floating a ball towards the back stick, but Firmino's header across goal creeps just wide with Salah also just missing out on getting a vital touch to turn it home.

'Arsenal fans singing ‘Oxlade-Chamberlain, he sits on the bench’ Which is true, tonight, at least.'

22min: Let-off for Arsenal. Robertson whips a cross towards the back post where there are TWO unmarked Liverpool players.

Firmino beats Salah to the ball but his header from an acute angle is palmed behind by Cech.

'The atmosphere here is rather more subdued than I would have expected for such a big game. We are only a quarter of an hour in but already this one feels like it needs a goal to bring it to life.

'Liverpool probably shading it on points but James Milner has a big job to do now that Jordan Henderson has left the field. Goes without saying that Liverpool cant afford to let Arsenal get hold of the central area.'

18min: Liverpool enjoying a shade more possession so far, with Arsenal playing on the counter attack. No chances for the visitors yet though, with Philippe Coutinho slicing wide from distance.

15min: Mohamed Salah and Ainsley Maitland-Niles is looking like turning into a good battle down the Liverpool right - not much to choose between them so far.

It's the Liverpool left where the next attack comes from though as Andy Robertson attacks the flank before his dangerous low ball into the six-yard box is cleared for a corner, which Arsenal survive.

13min: Finally Milner comes on as Liverpool are restored to 11 men. It's been an even enough start on the pitch, with both sides enjoying spells of possession.

11min: Henderson departs but Liverpool have been really sloppy here in not preparing a substitution. They are down to 10 men for the moment as James Milner prepares to come on.

9min: Problems early on for Liverpool, as they are about to lose their captain.

Jordan Henderson pulled up after sprinting to close down Mesut Ozil and that indicates that his hamstring has gone. There is no running those off....

6min: Arsenal win the first corner of the match but Mesut Ozil's ball to the edge of the box is intercepted by Mohamed Salaha before the Reds (in orange) win a free-kick.

3min: Good fast start at the Emirates Stadium. Emre Can tries to play in Roberto Firmino with a 20-yard pass but Petr Cech reads it well and comes out to intercept by claiming comfortably.

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Here is how the Premier League table looks before the game, as Arsenal look for a home win that would take them into the top four for Christmas Day.

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The Arsenal legend has also been speaking with former Manchester United defender Gary Neville before the game.

These two haven't always been on civil terms, as Roy Keane would tell you following an infamous tunnel bust-up between Arsenal and Manchester United at Highbury during the 2004-05 season...

A minor irritation of mine from Liverpool this evening is their choice to play in an orange kit... actually just having an orange kit in general.

Yes, it looks nice but this isn't fashion and it just seems the Merseyside's white away strip is of better use.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is dropped from Liverpool's starting XI as he makes his first return to Arsenal since his £35million move from the Emirates Stadium in the summer.

The midfielder has to settle for a place on the bench along with Georginio Wijnaldum as Jurgen Klopp brings in Emre Can and Sadio Mane to the team that hammered Bournemouth 4-0 last time out.

Arsenal are unchanged from the side that saw off Newcastle United 1-0 in their last Premier League match.

Mignolet, Gomez, Klavan, Lovren, Robertson, Henderson, Can, Coutinho, Mane, Salah, Firmino.

MIKE KEEGAN: Ned, a nine-year-old from St Paul’s Junior Catholic School, summed it up as well as any pundit.

When brought face-to-face with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, in the brilliant Christmas video of Liverpool’s visit, his youthful honesty was brutal. ‘You need to get into the first team more,’ he said. Ned was not wrong.

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ADAM SHERGOLD: The Premier League serves up a pre-Christmas cracker on Friday evening as Arsenal take on Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.

With Liverpool entering the game in fourth place and Arsenal a point behind in fifth, the match will shape the race for the Champions League spots.

We take a look at where Friday night's big match could be won or lost.

Read more here

There will in fact be two goal frames at both ends in the hope of increasing the amount of goals scored during a game.

I'm talking complete nonsense of course. The Emirates Stadium is all set and ready for the warm ups (where an extra goal is always in place away from the goalmouth) once the players arrive.

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But that isn't keeping the scarves away. Grab your half-half versions featuring both managers outside the ground.

Because what a way to get the final Premier League matchweek underway before Christmas.

It's one of the the English top flight's biggest games as I welcome you to live coverage of a fixture saturated in history and drama as Arsenal take on Liverpool.