It was a night where opportunities in front of goal were few and far between for a Liverpool side far from their best, but the message post-match was clear.
Anfield has seen better games, considerably so and while the Reds did not manage to get themselves on the scoreboard, neither did Arsenal to leave the tie finely balanced.
And while the Gunners have the home advantage for the second leg, Jurgen Klopp‘s players were clear of one thing: It is only half-time in the tie.
Granit Xhaka’s red card in the 24th-minute ought to have handed the Reds an advantage but it instead galvanised the visitors and Liverpool were unable to unlock the low block.
For Klopp, “it looked like all of a sudden we felt under pressure, which doesn’t make sense” but his message in the aftermath was echoed by his squad.
Led by captain Jordan Henderson, Liverpool’s players were left to assess the outing as a “frustrating” one but stressed that it’s still all to play for after the stalemate:
And for Neco Williams, who has seen most of his opportunities this season come in the League Cup, it is “only half time” and now a big game awaits at the Emirates:
Before Liverpool can plot how they’re going to find the route to goal to get to Wembley, there is first the task of Brentford in the league on Sunday.
They will be more than up for the occasion but the Reds must snap their own three-game run without a Premier League win to give them the needed confidence and momentum for the trip to the Emirates and beyond.
But in the words of the Reds, it’s all to play for.
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