HOW ARSENAL'S NEW BOYS PERFORMED ON DEBUT - INCLUDING A 15-YEAR-OLD WONDERKID

Mikel Arteta handed out numerous debuts as Arsenal made a winning start to their pre-season tour

Norgaard, Zubimendi and Dowman all featured against AC Milan (Photos@ Getty)

Arsenal 1-0 AC Milan (Saka 53′)

Arsenal made a winning start to their pre-season tour against AC Milan in Singapore with a few new faces given their first runouts by Mikel Arteta.

Bukayo Saka scored the game’s only goal with a scuffed volley at the back post from Jakub Kiwior’s searching cross, before the Gunners were beaten 6-5 on penalties in a pre-arranged post-match shootout.

Three of Arsenal’s summer signings were involved, with Christian Norgaard starting and Kepa Arrizabalaga and Martin Zubimendi brought on at half-time. A few promising academy prospects also featured in the second half.

Arteta will soon have other newcomers to integrate.

Christian Mosquera is in the Far East to complete his move from Valencia and could feature against Newcastle or Tottenham, while Arsenal hope to have Viktor Gyokeres join them on tour once his protracted move from Sporting Lisbon has been finalised.

Noni Madueke has been given an extended break after featuring for Chelsea at the Club World Cup.

Zubimendi catches the eye

The introductions of Zubimendi and Martin Odegaard at the break, alongside Declan Rice, gave Arsenal fans a first look at what is likely to be a first-choice midfield next season.

Zubimendi offers more playmaking qualities than Arsenal have had recently in the No 6 role, but he also possesses the defensive nous to protect the back four.

The 26-year-old ranked ninth in La Liga for combined tackles and interceptions last season and offered glimpses of those ball-winning capabilities in Kallang.

He was well-positioned to disrupt Milan counters, nicking the ball off Rafael Leao within minutes of coming on as Milan’s main man slalomed towards goal after a turnover.

Later on, he dispossessed Leao again, staying alive and alert to win the ball inside his own box. He looks well suited to Arsenal’s high press, too, shuttling crab-like to close down space in the opponents’ half.

It was a polished performance on the ball pockmarked by various line-breaking passes. He even scored a penalty, calmly sending Milan’s impressive No 2 Lorenzo Torriani the wrong way in a pre-arranged post-match shootout.

An encouraging first outing from the £52m buy.

Neat and tidy Norgaard

Adapting to playing for a team that had the third-highest possession share in the Premier League last season, from one that was 15th, will determine whether or not the Dane is a success in north London.

There were a couple of stray passes, but generally, he was accomplished on the ball (if less so than Zubimendi) and looked to punch balls into the forwards.

With Arsenal controlling much of the first half, he had plenty of the ball and operated higher up the pitch than he tended to for Brentford.

Norgaard played the first-half against AC Milan (Photo: AP)

He could even have registered a debut assist, after Ethan Nwaneri’s stinging drive from his pass forced a smart stop on the stretch from Pietro Terracciano.

Another facet of Norgaard’s game that has perhaps been overlooked is his aerial ability. According to WhoScored, Norgaard won 52 aerial duels last season, the third-most among Premier League central midfielders.

The six-footer made a headed clearance from a Milan corner later in the half and his presence could help Arsenal improve their defensive set-piece record.

The Gunners let in 14 set-piece goals in the league last season; Brentford conceded just two.

A clean sheet for Kepa

Signed to provide competition for David Raya, Kepa will be pleased to have kept his first clean sheet in Arsenal colours.

It was a largely stress-free half for the ex-Chelsea keeper, especially considering he played most of it behind a back four containing two 18-year-olds and a 15-year-old.

His best moment was getting his positioning and handling spot on to gather in a Leao shot from range, before immediately springing to his feet to set an Arsenal counter in motion with a throw.

Kepa may have had little to do in regulation time, but he was in inspired form in the penalty shootout, matching Torriani by making three saves from the first five kicks, all of which were down to his left.

He has always backed himself in shootouts, to be fair.

Teenage kicks

Besides the newcomers, Arsenal supporters will have been eager to see a few of the club’s youngsters get some game time.

There is plenty of hype around the 15-year-old Max Dowman, who is eligible to play Premier League football next season.

A left-footed attacking midfielder, Dowman slotted in on Saka’s right flank and looked remarkably composed given his inexperience.

Dowman impressed on his Arsenal debut (Photo: Reuters)

There is a touch of early Jack Wilshere about Dowman, with his low centre of gravity, direct dribbles and silky touch.

The schoolboy kept his cool in the shootout, succeeding where Odegaard, Reiss Nelson and Kiwior hadn’t by netting from 12 yards. Expect to see much more of him over the next few years.

Marli Salmon, another 15-year-old, also looked assured at centre-back, while 18-year-old right-back Josh Nichols produced some exciting bits of skill. Nichols also scored a penalty, although Salmon blazed his over with Milan winning the shootout with the next kick.

Hale End graduates Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly both broke into Arteta’s first-team plans last term, and judging by the displays of Dowman, Salmon and Nichols, more will follow before long.

- Oliver Young-Myles

LIVERPOOL SHOW RESILIENCE AT ARSENAL TO PASS FIRST TRUE TEST

LONDON -- Arsenal slipped further off the pace in the Premier League title race by twice throwing away the lead in a 2-2 draw against Liverpool at the Emirates on Sunday. Mikel Arteta's team, who have finished runners-up to Manchester City in each of the past two season, are now five points adrift of Pep Guardiola's side.

Bukayo Saka had given Arsenal a ninth-minute lead after embarrassing Liverpool full-back Andrew Robertson to score, and Mikel Merino restored the Gunners' lead with a 43rd-minute header after Virgil van Dijk had equalised on 17 minutes. Mohamed Salah's 81st-minute equaliser finally secured a point for the visitors.

What was already a disappointing day for Arsenal was further tarnished by centre-back Gabriel Magalhães limping out of the game on 54 minutes with a suspected knee injury.

Liverpool show resilience to pass first big test

Arne Slot has repeatedly said that his Liverpool team cannot be judged until they have faced a big test against a big opponent, but the Reds' manager will now know that his side have resilience in abundance after fighting back twice to earn a draw at Arsenal. Last Sunday's Anfield win against Chelsea was a test against an improving team, but the trip to the Emirates was the first time Liverpool faced an opponent occupying a top-five spot this season.

The reality is that Arsenal were the better team and the one that displayed most creativity and carried the greater threat. Despite that, though, and despite Arsenal twice taking the lead, Liverpool still emerged with a point that enables them to stay ahead of the Gunners as Manchester City's closest challengers at the top of the table.

Slot's Liverpool are a different proposition to Jürgen Klopp's team -- the side the German called his "Mentality Monsters." They play a more disciplined 4-3-3 formation and midfielders Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister occupy the defensive slots in front of the back four. As a consequence, they are tougher to beat, but the flip side is that Slot's Liverpool lack the fantasy of his predecessor's side.

After nine games in charge, though, Slot's team are second in the table and just one point behind champions City. They lost at the Emirates last season when they were too open, but Slot has bolted the back door a little tighter, and he is getting his rewards.

This was another test passed. -- Mark Ogden

Arsenal's patched-up defence collapses

William Saliba played every single minute of Arsenal's Premier League campaign last season. His absence here -- the product of a red card against AFC Bournemouth -- posed Arteta a new problem in reshuffling his defence.

The Gunners boss opted to partner Ben White with Gabriel at centre-back while midfielder Thomas Partey started at right-back and Jurriën Timber recovered from a muscular problem to begin at left-back.

That quartet -- Arsenal's sixth different back four in nine league games -- coped admirably in the circumstances, but Arsenal's problems deepened in the second half. Gabriel was forced off nine minutes after the restart and later returned to the dugout to watch the rest of the game with his left leg heavily strapped.

The last Premier League match in which neither Gabriel nor Saliba was on the field was the final four minutes of Arsenal's 4-1 win over Crystal Palace in March 2023.

Jakub Kiwior was introduced, but Liverpool stepped up their search for an equaliser, and Timber -- starting his first game for 26 days -- faded, forcing the introduction of teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly. Salah's equaliser came down that flank. Darwin Núñez evaded Lewis-Skelly and Kiwior got caught out of position as Salah darted infield to equalise.

Saliba will return from suspension, but Arsenal's defence -- so often a stable and reliable composition in recent seasons -- is being tested to the limit at present. -- James Olley

Salah's goal illustrates what he does best

Salah's 81st-minute equaliser for Liverpool was a classic example of what he does best -- and also a hint to Slot that he needs give the forward more scope to do it. Slot's Liverpool play a more rigid formation than Klopp's free-flowing side, and the downside of that approach is that it has taken away the freedom that Salah enjoyed under Slot's predecessor.

Against Arsenal, the 32-year-old spent virtually the whole game on the right of the Liverpool front three and he played to instructions by occupying the right flank of the pitch when the team went forward. At times, he cut a frustrated figure, looking like nothing more than a standard right winger obediently staying in his position and ensuring that the team shape remained solid.

The beauty of Salah, though, is his ability to cut inside or roam freely across the forward line. Think of all the great goals he has scored for Liverpool, and so many have been when he has glided off the wing and scored with an unstoppable left-foot shot.

At the Emirates, he did that once and it led to a crucial goal that earned a point for Liverpool.

When Núñez chased a ball down the right, Salah cut inside, attacked the space and waited for his teammate to deliver the pass. Núñez laid it on a plate for Salah, who scored once again to make a big impact for Liverpool. -- Ogden

Arteta's secret Saka plan pays off

Arteta is often evasive when answering pre-match team news questions, but the north London club went to special lengths in keeping Saka's availability under wraps.

Arteta claimed on Friday lunchtime that the England winger had not trained as of that point, casting strong doubt over his chances of recovering from a hamstring injury in time to face Liverpool. However, behind the scenes, Arsenal had been increasingly hopeful throughout the week that Saka could play some part and went to the unusual step of training at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

It is the first time they have done so since April, and sources suggest part of the thinking was to ensure the likely team stayed a closely guarded secret with only minimal staff allowed access to the stadium during the session.

Saka proved his fitness and started the game, beating Robertson with ease to score the opening goal after nine minutes. Aged 23 years and 52 days, Saka became the youngest Arsenal player ever to score 50 Premier League goals, and he hit that milestone while wearing the captain's armband.

His importance to Arsenal cannot be overstated, especially with Martin Odegaard still sidelined, and Saka once again delivered when it mattered.

He was replaced with five minutes to go, shortly after Salah's second-half equaliser. Saka would never normally come off in such circumstances, perhaps underlining just how much of a risk it was for him to play in the first place. -- Olley

Liverpool have a double full-back problem

Liverpool might need to replace two full-backs next summer rather than just one. All the focus right now is on Trent Alexander-Arnold and whether the right-back will sign a new contract at Anfield, but there are growing question marks over Robertson at left-back, too. This game at the Emirates suggested both could soon be phased out.

Robertson, who arrived at Liverpool in a bargain £10 million transfer from Hull City in 2017, has been as integral to the team's success in recent years as Alexander-Arnold on the opposite flank. The two defenders have been Liverpool's full-backs now for almost seven years.

They were both poor at the Emirates, though, and it is surely a valid question to ask whether they are suited to the way Slot wants his team to play.

Alexander-Arnold, 26, has had to temper his attacking instincts to fit Slot's system, but his defensive qualities have always been the weakest element of his game and he struggled against Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli, especially in the first half. With so much scrutiny on his future and whether he will sign a contract that would almost certainly make him the club's top earner, Alexander-Arnold needs to show more defensively to prove not only that he is worth the investment, but that he is Slot's best option in that position.

Robertson is four years older than Alexander-Arnold and it is beginning to show. The Scotland international was easily outdone by Saka for Arsenal's opening goal and he had a rocky afternoon before being replaced by Kostas Tsimikas just after the hour mark.

Liverpool need a new long-term solution at left-back, but from a football perspective, they might also decide to cut their losses by finding a new right-back, too. -- Ogden

Set pieces are Arsenal's strength -- and also their weakness

Arsenal have rightly been lauded as one of the finest exponents of set pieces in English football, but for the second consecutive weekend, they were undone when defending a corner.

After Bournemouth broke the deadlock against the Gunners with a well-worked routine of their own, Liverpool achieved first-half parity with another clever effort of their own. Alexander-Arnold swung the ball into the near post where Kai Havertz was beaten in the air by Luis Díaz before Van Dijk nodded in.

Havertz was also caught out in a similar position against Bournemouth. Only Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton have conceded more goals from set pieces than the Gunners in the Premier League this season.

And yet, they remain potent at the other end. Declan Rice's superbly whipped 43rd-minute delivery found Merino, who produced a powerful header to restore the home side's advantage. It is the 27th goal Arsenal have scored from dead-ball situations since the beginning of last season -- a league high. -- Olley

- Mark Ogden and James Olley

ADEMOLA LOOKMAN TO ARSENAL TRANSFER ASSESSED AS VERSATILE FORWARD FITS MIKEL ARTETA'S

Arsenal have been linked with a move for Ademola Lookman and football.london takes a deep dive on the Nigerian international.

Ademola Lookman has been linked with a move to Arsenal(Image: Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)

The day arrived where finally Arsenal supporters were given a shred of hope that the club might indeed be looking at signing a forward before the end of the transfer window. Sport Italia journalist Alfredo Pudella has claimed that Arsenal are considering a €50million (£42million) plus Jakub Kiwior deal for Ademola Lookman.

The Nigerian international has plenty of experience of English football having come through Charlton’s academy system. Arsenal have been noted as needing a player who can add quality to all the forward areas of the team which Lookman certainly fits the bill.

However, as can be the case, his name has not necessarily inspired an overwhelmingly positive reaction, at least on the surface. Therefore, it makes sense to dive deeper and assess to forward’s abilities and record to see if indeed a move to Arsenal makes sense.

An immediate issue some critics have raised is his record in England. He played 48 times for Everton, scoring just four goals, and was sent on loan to RB Leipzig, Fulham and Leicester, which produced mixed results.

However, upon his arrival at Atalanta in Serie A, his career finally exploded. 15 goals and eight assists in 33 games for the Bergamo-based club in his first year was an excellent return and this would only set up an even more impressive campaign last season.

He scored 17 goals and added 10 assists in a season where Atalanta won the Europa League and Lookman scored a European final hat-trick against Bundesliga Invincibles and German Cup winners Bayer Leverkusen. He also scored and assisted in the second-leg of the semi-final against Marseille, and scored and assisted in the Italian Cup semi-final against Fiorentina.

- Tom Canton

JAKUB KIWIOR STATS | ARSENAL