RESILIENT LIVERPOOL KNOCK WASTEFUL ARSENAL OUT OF FA CUP

Sunday 7 January 2024

FA Cup, round 3

Emirates Stadium, Hornsey Rd, London N7 7AJ

RESILIENT LIVERPOOL KNOCK WASTEFUL ARSENAL OUT OF FA CUP

Luis Díaz and the Liverpool players celebrate their victory over Arsenal

MATCH PREVIEW:

One of the games of the weekend as Arsenal and Liverpool meet again within the space of 2 weeks. The last time they met in all competitions, was at Anfield, where they shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw, thanks to goals from Arsenal CB Gabriel and Liverpool’s superb Mohammed Salah before Christmas Day 2023. Now, this is a different fixture. Arsenal are hoping to recover following back-to-back defeats in the Premier League and they host Liverpool in the FA Cup, looking to make it through to the next round. Liverpool will hope to continue their good form in all competitions, as they started 2024 with a superb 4-2 home win over Newcastle thanks to goals from Mohammed Salah (x2), Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo for Jürgen Klopp’s Reds and Alexander Isak and Sven Botman for Eddie Howe’s Magpies. Which team will make it to the 4^th round directly, or will they settle for a replay at Anfield 1 week later?

AN IMPORTANT UPDATE:

The home side, Arsenal are wearing their new white kit instead of their standard red and white, that is because of the program, “NO MORE RED”. This campaign is to help keep the young people safe from knife crime and violence. This program was launched in 2022, and it has been a tradition every new year for Arsenal to wear this kit, to help the people stop the violence in the UK.

Arsenal's dressing room before the game, with their white kits to promote the "NO MORE RED" campaign.

TEAM NEWS:

There is still no Oleksander Zinchenko due to injury, so Jakub Kiwior continues to deputise for the injured Ukrainian. Aside from that, 3 changes are made by Arteta following their New Year’s Eve loss at Fulham, with Jorginho and Reiss Nelson in the XI replacing Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli, Aaron Ramsdale replaces David Raya in goal for today’s match.

As for Liverpool, 4 changes from the New Year’s Day home win over Newcastle, with Jarell Quansah, Harvey Elliott, Alexis MacAllister, and Cody Gakpo starting in place of the injured Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohammed Salah & Wataru Endo (AFCON & Asian Cup) + Virgil Van Dijk (illness).

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Trent Alexander-Arnold: The academy graduate is having a spectacular season with Liverpool. Now at the age of 25, he is impressive when he steps into midfield to create chances for his teammates, and his free kicks can cause problems to various teams. Can he continue that form coming into today?

Bukayo Saka: The academy graduate had a phenomenal 2023 with the Gunners. Registering assists and scoring goals, is he to help Arsenal avoid a 3^rd straight defeat in a row across all competitions, having scored against Fulham?

KICK-OFF:

Liverpool kick-off at the Emirates Stadium, as the final game of today's fixtures, gets underway. With possession kept by both teams, Arsenal carved out the first big chance of the game. Following some short passing between Saliba and Ramsdale, the GK picked out Reiss Nelson, who rounded the visiting GK Alisson, but only for him to find the side-netting as early as 2 minutes.

Nelson rounded Alisson in the penalty area, but hit the side-netting on 2 minutes.

Following that missed effort, another huge opportunity came for the hosts on 10 minutes. After Saka dispossessed Joe Gomez, Kai Havertz squared up for Martin Ødegaard whose shot thundered the crossbar and Saka’s follow-up shot was blocked by captain Trent Alexander-Arnold, who then cleared it away. MY WORD, WHAT A CHANCE THAT WAS FOR ARSENAL! Liverpool survive a massive scare, as they got away with that one. After a long while, Arsenal then had another chance, this time on 37 minutes. After Saka was tackled, Ben White's powerful shot, tipped over the bar by Alisson. And from the corner, another huge chance was wasted. Kai Havertz's header from Bukayo Saka's corner was headed wide! Liverpool had their best chance on 44 minutes, after the visitors won the ball, Cody Gakpo squared up for Trent Alexander-Arnold, but only for the captain to smash it onto the crossbar. Goalless at the break. A load of chances for Arsenal, but they were lacking the cutting edge into their finishing. Liverpool, meanwhile, will be content with how they performed in the first half. 

KICK-OFF: SECOND HALF

It has been a goalless first half at the Emirates Stadium, as the hosts kick-off the second half, in search of a goal that would put them ahead. It was much better from the home side, these first few minutes, as they pressed the Liverpool back-line and continued to create chances to score. But it was the visitors who had their first chance of the second half on 49 minutes. As Curtis Jones found Joe Gomez, the defender wasn't that far off from scoring. He hasn't scored at all for Liverpool, Joe Gomez, on his 199th appearance for the Reds. But one day, that will be acheived soon. Arsenal's best chance in the second half came on 57 minutes. From Ødegaard's free kick, the Norwegian found Havertz and Havertz found Saka, but his effort, was nowhere near the goal and over the bar. Another chance not taken properly by Arsenal as they continued to defend the Reds' relentless pressing and pace. And the first goal finally arrived on 79 minutes. Following Ødegaard's foul on substitute Ryan Gravenberch, Liverpool had a free kick. And it was their set piece expert, Trent Alexander-Arnold to take this one. And it's in!! Liverpool strike first with 10 minutes to play and the celebrations began! Unfortunate for Arsenal, as Alexander-Arnold's free kick took a touch on the way, and it was Jakub Kiwior who glanced in the captain's free kick beyond Aaron Ramsdale and into his own net. AN OWN GOAL THAT LIVERPOOL WILL TAKE! ARSENAL 1 - LIVERPOOL 0. And surely now, there's no way back for Arsenal into the game.

Jakub Kiwior headed in Trent Alexander-Arnold's free kick into the back of his own net.

It is now up to Arsenal to find an equaliser to get back into the game. Not an easy task, but they are known for scoring late goals in the Premier League. Can they do so today? No matter how many chances Arsenal create, Liverpool sealed their fate in added time. The visitors unleashed a counterattack against Arsenal as Diogo Jota and Ryan Gravenberch started the move and Jota found Luis Díaz, and the Colombian sealed the 4th round spot for the Reds by smashing it into the net. THAT IS THAT!! GAME OVER AND GOOD NIGHT, say Liverpool as they book their place in the 4th round of the FA Cup, knocking out the 14-time winners of the competition.

Luis Díaz scored Liverpool's 2nd goal from a counterattack to send the Reds onto the next round.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Ibrahima Konaté.

The CB has been superb in today's game. A commanding leader in the absence of the unwell Virgil Van Dijk, he has made some crucial challenges and helped to mark the Arsenal players from set pieces. It has been his best night in a Liverpool shirt, can he continue that good form, as Liverpool will have a 2 week break and then travel to Bournemouth on Sunday 21 January 2024?