Liverpool's streak is over! Reds' Premier League run lasting 600 matches and 16 years ends with draw at Arsenal

Given the attacking options that Liverpool often have at their disposal, it is unsurprisingly rare for them to misfire so badly. In fact, you have to turn the clock all the way back to 2010 to find the last time that they did so.

That is an impressive record, with the Reds having been full of goals down the years, but they will be disappointed at allowing an epic run to come to a close. They had gone 600 top-flight fixtures without posting a blank in the ‘shots on target’ department.

Arne Slot’s side did attempt eight efforts against Arsenal, but none of those forced Spanish goalkeeper Raya into action. Ultimately, it came as little surprise that the match in question finished all square.

Liverpool were without their most potent forward-thinking players, with Egyptian superstar Mohamed Salah currently away with his country on Africa Cup of Nations duty. Record signing Alexander Isak is ruled out through injury, while 11-goal top scorer Hugo Ekitike is also nursing a knock.

With that in mind, Slot was happy with the performance that his side put in. He told reporters afterwards when asked about failing to hit the target and lacking options in the final third of the field: "I think there are other things to talk about where both teams are at the moment than the [respective strength of the] substitutes' bench. I think we showed today - and not for the first time - in the big games that we are able to compete with any other big team.

"And we have had a result with almost any other big team, except for Manchester City, when it was so obvious we scored the 1-1, but the only ones who didn’t think that were the referee and VAR. That is the only game we lost 3-0.

"We have shown home and away against Arsenal we can compete with any other team. Then there is the question why we are 14 points behind them and that is because we struggle against low blocks to unlock that and there is 20 goals difference between us at set pieces.

"But in both games we have shown now that we are very competitive against each other. We won it at Anfield because of a free-kick at Anfield. And today, there was no moment like that, so it was 0-0."

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Slot went on to say, with Liverpool more than holding their own against Arsenal - who are six points clear at the Premier League summit: “"he way we pressed their two centre-backs and their No.6 (Martin Zubimendi) was better in the second half, so we could recover ball possession faster and they couldn't come as close to our box. But maybe the main thing was we had the ball for long spells and when they kicked it away we picked it up and played again. But credit to Arsenal, the way they defended their box.

"We had five, six, seven from Dominik Szoboszlai, and he has a good shot. They are good in so many things including box defending. They are good in so many things it is so hard to get a result against them.

“" am a bit surprised people think we have a good performance because when we have 60 or 70% ball possession against other teams, people find it boring. Now it is a good performance and we hardly created a chance.

"This is who we are but we struggle, obviously, in some things. Set-pieces is one of them. We did really well in ball possession. But for me it is not that different from playing Leeds at home or Fulham away when we dominate the ball, but then people are annoyed by the fact these teams are not the magnitude of Arsenal so then it is not good enough, which I totally agree with by the way, because I want to see us creating more chances as well."

Liverpool, who remain fourth in the table, will now turn their attention to FA Cup matters. They have a third round clash with League One outfit Barnsley to take in on Monday, before then welcoming Burnley to Anfield in their next Premier League fixture on January 17.