Superb Arsenal beat woeful Liverpool to close gap at the top.

Sunday 4 February 2024

Gameweek 23, Match 9/10

Emirates Stadium, Hornsey Rd, London N7 7AJ

Superb Arsenal beat woeful Liverpool to close gap at the top.

All the Arsenal players celebrated with Leandro Trossard during the 3^rd goal.

MATCH PREVIEW:

The game of the weekend as it is a top of the table clash as these two sides meet up for the third time this campaign. 4 weeks after Liverpool knocked out the 14-time champions of the Emirates FA Cup at the start of 2024. Now Arsenal have a chance for revenge against the leaders of the Premier League. Both teams won their respective games in midweek, Arsenal saw off Nottingham Forest thanks to Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka for Arsenal and Taiwo Awoniyi for Forest as they narrowly survived. Whereas Liverpool comfortably saw off Chelsea at Anfield in the first game since manager Jürgen Klopp announced that he will leave the Reds at the end of the season. Thanks to youngster Connor Bradley’s terrific performance, Liverpool once again went 5 points clear of both Arsenal and Manchester City before this game. Can Liverpool continue to extend their lead at the top to 8 points, or will Arsenal cut the gap to 2 points and win at home for the 2^nd successive season against the Reds in the Premier League.

TEAM NEWS:

2 changes from Mikel Arteta’s team from their narrow win at Nottingham, with Kai Havertz and Jorginho start in place of Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian absent from the team due to a minor injury.

As for Liverpool, 3 changes from the home win over Chelsea, with Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch and Trent Alexander-Arnold starting in place of Connor Bradley, Dominik Szoboszlai and Darwin Núñez. With Diogo Jota being the focal point of attack, and Thiago Alcantara is back on the bench after a long spell on the sidelines.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: 

Bukayo Saka: What can the academy product showcase for his team? He has been in good form so far, collecting a couple of goals and assists. Is today the day he will continue his form?

Diogo Jota: Even with Darwin Núñez missing chances, this man has been in fine form. With a couple of goals to his name to go along with some assists, will the Portguese forward show his finishing prowess today to continue Liverpool's unbeaten run?

The game commences. Both sides keen to extend their own winning runs, as Arsenal search for a 3^rd straight win in the league, with Liverpool in terrific form. After the opening exchanges between the two teams, Arsenal struck first blood. On 14 minutes, Kai Havertz’s shot saved by Alisson and the follow-up was turned in by Bukayo Saka! Arsenal are in front on the quarter-hour mark.

Bukayo Saka scores after Alisson parried away Kai Havertz’s shot on 14 minutes.

Just the start Arsenal and Mikel Arteta wanted in a bid to reduce the gap to 2 points at the top of the Premier League table. Now, we all know how good Liverpool are to responding to setbacks, can they find an equaliser before half-time?

They did however have a chance on 29 minutes. From Trent Alexander-Arnold's corner, Virgil Van Dijk heads it over the bar. A huge chance to level the game. But not taken properly.

And after all the cards and fouls, Liverpool finally equalised on the stroke of half-time. A counterattack from the visitors sparked the Gunners' defence to panic and they got very lucky when Luis Díaz caused problems between William Saliba, David Raya and Gabriel, with the Colombian Díaz leading the celebrations for the visitors as the leaders levelled against the run of play. And after the celebrations, it goes down as an own goal from Gabriel which forced a mix-up between his teammates resulting in the equaliser.

The joyous Luis Díaz celebrates the equaliser for Liverpool.

An end-to-end first half this was. HT AT THE EMIRATES STADIUM. A great contest it has been from the two sides.

KICK-OFF: SECOND HALF:

Here we go again in North London, as the second half begins!  A half-time substitution for the home side as Polish international Jakub Kiwior replaced the injured Oleksander Zinchenko as Arteta hopes that the Ukrainian is alright.

After the 10 minutes at the start of the second half, Arsenal had a great chance to re-take the lead, but they almost scored from the set-piece. From Martin Ødegaard's free kick, Gabriel just heads wide of the post. From the missed chance, Jürgen Klopp throws in a triple substitution to find a way to win the game. Andrew Robertson, Darwin Núñez, and Harvey Elliott all come onto the pitch to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch. And a big moment for the home side on 66 minutes. GOAL FOR ARSENAL!! A wonderful lofted pass heading towards Gabriel Martinelli was inch-perfect. But it was mainly, the Liverpool backline, who were at fault for the goal, Alisson charged out of his line to help Van Dijk, but this only helped the Brazilian winger shooting the ball into the empty net. What a gift that was for the hosts! ARSENAL 2 - LIVERPOOL 1! 

Gabriel Martinelli wheeled off in celebration after a mix-up between Van Dijk and Alisson.

How are Liverpool going to answer to this second setback? Do they have the creativity to do so? They did have a brilliant chance on 77 minutes, from Robertson's corner, Alexis MacAllister shoots wide of the post on the volley. JUST WIDE! VERY GOOD EFFORT REGARDLESS FROM THE ARGENTINE! And during the build-up, there's also an injury to star winger, Bukayo Saka, as he collided with Gabriel from the Liverpool corner. As a result of this, Saka is therefore subbed off with his replacement, Reiss Nelson coming on for him to replace him for the final 10 minutes. And Liverpool's evening went from bad to worse as CB Ibrahima Konaté picked up his second yellow card of the match, resulting in a red, which saw him off the pitch as Liverpool were down to 10 men for the final few minutes. 

Anthony Taylor gave Ibrahima Konaté a second yellow card which reduced the Reds to 10 men.

And eventually, Arsenal sealed the knockout punch on the 3rd minute of added time as substitute Leandro Trossard collected Jakub Kiwior's brilliant pass, and went on a superb run beating Alisson at the near post to eventually seal the 3 points and end Liverpool's unbeaten run.

Trossard sealed Arsenal's win in stoppage time by scoring his side's 3rd goal

FULL-TIME AT THE EMIRATES STADIUM!! What an important win this is for Arsenal as this will massively give them a big confidence boost ahead of the UCL Round of 16 tie next week to go with their next PL fixture against London rivals West Ham United. Whereas Liverpool gear up to try and bounce back in the next PL fixture against Burnley.

MAN OF THE MATCH: BUKAYO SAKA

Saka shares his POTM award with Jorginho and Trossard at FT.

What a terrific performance from the 22-year-old today! Despite going off injured in the 77th minute, he was crucial for the first goal of the match and he continued to create good chances and showcased some very good attacking play. Superb talent and can he continue to lead the title charge for his team?