Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Rice, Jorginho, Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, Havertz
Subs: Ramsdale, Cedric, Walters, Kiwior, Elneny, Smith Rowe, Trossard, Nelson, Nketiah
Arsenal secured their third win in 24 attempts against Liverpool after beating them 3-1 on Sunday – reducing the gap at the top of the table to just two points – thanks to goals from Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.
Mikel Arteta made two changes to the side that beat Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, with Jorginho and Kai Havertz coming in for Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Jesus who missed out altogether after suffering another setback on his recent knee injury.
Arsenal started with great intensity and were making a clear effort to press Liverpool, with Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez in particular being used as triggers on the right side.
The game burst into life after ten minutes when Gabriel Martinelli breezed past Ibrahima Konate with an incredible 60-yard run, who then squared for Bukayo Saka at the back post for what looked like an easy header, although he headed wide under pressure from Gomez.
Liverpool had a chance of their own moments later when Cody Gakpo was played through by Alexis Mac Allister, although his effort was dragged wide beyond David Raya.
But the hosts weren’t to be denied when Martin Odegaard sent Kai Havertz through on goal with Konate and Van Dijk totally disjointed on halfway. The German shot straight at Alisson but thankfully Saka was on hand to tuck away the rebound. 1-0.
Liverpool couldn’t cope with with Arsenal’s intensity and Odegaard almost made it two-nil when Trent Alexander-Arnold gave the ball to Martinelli in a dangerous area, who found his captain unmarked in the penalty box, only for Van Dijk to block his goalbound shot.
The visitors struggled to create anything of note during the first half, but some excellent defending from Gabriel stopped an incredible Alexander-Arnold cross with Gakpo waiting to tap in from close range.
Heading towards half time with a dominant 47 minutes behind them, Arsenal found a way to gift Liverpool an equaliser when a mix-up between William Saliba and Raya allowed Luis Diaz to bundle an effort home off Gabriel – completely against the run of play. 1-1.
Arteta made a half time change with Jakub Kiwior replacing Oleksandr Zinchenko, although whether it was a tactical change or one forced through injury remains unclear.
Arsenal looked like a team visibly disheartened by the shock equaliser and Curtis Jones was inches away from curling the visitors ahead after taking advantage of some slack defending.
But the hosts settled once again and the next chance was theirs, when Odegaard saw another goalbound effort deflected wide by Konate having been found smartly by Havertz.
Jürgen Klopp wasted little time trying to change the game with a triple substitution, which saw Andy Robertson, Harvey Elliott and Darwin Nunez replace Alexander-Arnold, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo.
But it was the Gunners who retook the lead after another defensive mix up – this time between Van Dijk and Alisson – whose costly miscommunication presented Martinelli with an easy finish into an open goal which set the Emirates alight. 2-1.
Arsenal began to sit deeper with Martinelli and Saka (their main attacking threats) taken off for Trossard and Reiss Nelson, although their defensive shape was excellent with Liverpool forced into crosses and long range efforts which posed little threat.
There was a chance for Arteta’s men to wrap up all three points when Kiwior somehow found himself unmarked in the penalty area, only to head straight into the body of Alisson when he maybe had time to take a touch.
Things got even more difficult for Liverpool heading into injury time when Konate was sent off for his second foul on Havertz, despite protests from Klopp and the French defender.
Arsenal would eventually put the icing on a well-deserved cake when brilliant individual play from Trossard – beating two players by the touchline – saw him progress into the penalty area and shoot through the legs of Alisson, handily deflected by Van Dijk. 3-1.
Having suffered the injury blow of Gabriel Jesus pre-match, after conceding in the way they did just before half time, this was an outstanding Arsenal performance which earned them three deserved points.
The gap between them and Liverpool is now reduced to just two points, with the title race well and truly on.
Boom, the Gunners firing. We have a chance at this. COYG!!
My word, that was good! Jorginho and Rice in that midfield. People yap about players other teams are missing, no one talks about HOW MUCH we miss Partey. A Partey – Rice midfield base has EVERYTHING!
I really, REALLY hope we can somehow keep Partey fit. It’s going to be interesting nights in the UCL if we can do that.
COYG! Such a huge win that has put me in a really good mood. Let’s go crush the week 🙂
A great sendoff for Klopp at the Emirates.
I am a little disappointed we didnt score more? Could’ve been four or five, and I dont think that would have been an unfair scoreline. They didn’t lay a glove on us really. That shambles of a goal we gave them was vintage stuff. A real hallmark of how the games have gone against Liverpool in recent times. Typically we come out of the traps fast, score, and then panic, stop doing all of the really good things that we were doing originally that got us in front, sit back, then concede the most comical goal, normally with a sending… Read more »
Totally agree and glad someone has already said what I was thinking. I had to turn off SKY after the game as the pundits were trying to make excuses for everything Liverpool did wrong.
From their focus on Liverpool and ignoring Arsenal to the point where they had to apologise on air, you’d have assumed either Liverpool had won, or they’d only lost due to their mistakes. Match of the day, wasn’t much better either.
Yeah last night completely highlighted the anti media agenda against Arsenal.
It stinks.
Its been going on for decades.
At least people can see it all clear as day.
Come on boys! What a result! Finally broke the Liverpooll curse!
The last 4 league games, we have won two drew two. Some curse that 🥳
On to the next match! Our next 5 matches should bewinnable.
COYG
A curse to break too.
May I suggest a bottle of woodford Reserve to go with swanky feeling!
The curse is at Anfield not Emirates. We should beat them there next round
We look great when we go for it! Really looked like we took the handbrake off today and let that passion flow. COYG!
What handbrake? This is how we play when facing a team that doesn’t use a low block.
Fans should start to put some respect on Jorginho’s name!
Jorginho and Havertz both fantastic today.
I think 57,000 singing Jorginho Jorginho might have shown some. 🥳
What a great addition he has been! With the injuries, our midfield would be in sad shape without him. Wise buy for the 12 million we paid for him just about a year ago.
Yep. Never understood the hate that got. He was clearly a savvy signing.
Imagine if our original moves had worked last Christmas. We’d have spent more than £100 million extra and would arguably not got better players than Trossard and Jorginho. It also probably would have meant no Rice either.
I’ll admit, I was fuming at half-time. Who wasn’t? But boy am I thrilled with this result. We sucker punched ’em. And we did all of that WITHOUT Jesus. Not gonna let the pool run away with it… we’re back in it baby!!
I don’t think sucker punched them, more like a rope a dope second half. Gooners Boomaye!
Carraghers salty tears omg delicious
Crying his eyes out because Odegaard was having some post match celebratory fun with the club photographer.
Still, salty tears make a change from the Mersey equivalent of phlegm that comes out of his mouth.
Can’t think of anything that brings me as much joy as this!
Hope the kids are safe on way home. Spit will be angry.
who can count how many times the sky commentators said a liverpool player was unlucky after being rightfully booked?
The media have got a hard-on for the Klopp fairytale story, expect more of this crap!
Domination. We are the better team and showed it…again. Big Gab motm for me he is a force of nature. Jorginho running the show. Rice everywhere all at once. Gabi and Saka on the scoresheet and always a threat. Havertz instrumental. Benjaldinho. What an amazing day we can fucking do dis!
what a game!!! COYG!
suprised Garry Neville didnt give the man of the match to Van Dijk and Allison
I thought he seemed to want us to win. Maybe it was wishful thinking.
Possibly best display of the season. Great win. Totally dominant in the first half especially. Silly mistake for the goal but we recovered well and had them in our back pocket. Bravo lads!
North London forever, whatever the weather, these streets are our own and my heart will leave you never!
Days like these are why I love this club ❤️
Nice farewell gift from Arteta to Klopp.
Four straight games in the epl without a Liverpool victory.
What. A. Game! Make no mistake…this is a fearsome & amazing team Arteta has built!!
I hope Saliba’s back is not giving him trouble again. He’s moving as slow as a Ben White throw in.
what was with those throw ins? it’s not as if they were even worth the Yellow in the end 😂
We need a Nico Jover for throw ins.
Can teach Leo how to take one, ha
Seriously 🤣 our throw ins routine maybe the worst in the prem. Too much time taken only to lose the posession one second later
A little (very) recency bias maybe? I thought we scored a goal from a throw- in against Forest–our very last match.
We took that one quickly though. Exception that proves the rule.
Amazed the ref let White get away with those slow throws as long as he did.
Love it
Bizarre game.
I thought Christmas was 6 weeks ago: both teams decided to gift-wrap each other goals. I suppose Liverpool thought it would be remiss of them not to give us something back for the comical OG just before half time.
We were very solid apart from the goal and deserved the win. But we still have no flare up front: this will cost us the title.
Neither us nor Liverpool are good enough to win the title, so it will be City again.
A great afternoon for Pep and his Sky- Blues.
Just enjoy it mate!
Change your name to miserablegooner. Why even bother watching if you can’t just enjoy a win like that
Oh Christ, give it a rest. We all know City are favourites but just enjoy the win and the fact that instead of losing and basically counting ourselves out of the title race, we won and are well in it.
What a ray of sunshine you are.
You are insufferable. I bet if we win the title, you’ll still complain about something. But maybe you do this just to be an arse.
love your positivity!
Looking for the cloud in the silver lining again; Just enjoy the win for what it is.
Lovely stuff
Jorginho should arguably be considered more often as a starting midfielder
Havertz up front is no peak-Giroud but he was a real handful all the same, and remains an interesting option up top.
Kiwior is coming along well and becoming more and more integrated as a squad player, which is good because he could easily be needed
Seems like Stuart Macfarlane might’ve given another team talk!
Kiwior coming into a game like that at half time, well fucking done! Awesome
Havertz missed three sitters and remains to me a riddle, inside a mystery wrapped in an enigma etc etc…
Great victory, Jorghino, Rice outstanding…the scousers barely had a sniff.
“Do you believe it now, Trinity?”
Jorginho is the One
Mik Arteta fucking loves Arsenal football club ! ❤️
Mikel deserves full credit , if that was klopp they be saying how he masterminded playing kai as false 9 to get extra space for gabi marti
As someone who had a stellar Sunday league career. I always feel like i know how arsenal should line up, so when I see jorginho in the line up I use my infallible knowledge to shout at the TV WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!!……….The 6 guys around me in the pub will never take my football knowledge seriously ever again
They probably never did 😉
A bit unfair. The flying Arteta deserved the yellow after Trossard’s goal.
Oh watching Stuart with Odegard at the final whistle.. That was bonus for me. Look what it means to them! Look at what it means to us!!
Oh I won’t be sleeping anytime soon tonight!!
COME ON YOU BLOODY GOONERS!!!!!!!
what an extremely high level match. the intensity in every play, the tactical complexity everything had. we’ve demonstrated we are one of the world’s big boys again and we’ve been so for almost two years now. we’ve been as good or better than liverpool three times in one month. anyone else remember how it used to go for us against that lot before mikel? we showed more energy in a single half today than in the entire 2017/2018 season.
My phone has been so quiet this evening. No sign of any cocky scousers
Get the fuck In!
The first team to beat Liverpool in the league this season, unaided by PGMOL.
It would have really been annoying if their only loss was that ridiculous affair. Today was the genuine Invincibles day.
Bein Sports pundits after the game. Hairy hands keys has a problem with Arteta celebrating. Everyone agrees. McAteer says something about a conspiracy theory that the ref comes from a suburb of Manchester and utter utter bollocks. No mention of goals. Wankers
Fucking awesome.
Always great when we beat the Phlegm Spouters.
Fuck off Neville and Carragher and the rest of the Sky cretins willing us to fail.
Everyone was a hero today, but Jorginho, Rice, Odegaard and Martinelli were superb.
We are back in the mix and we need fear no one except, perhaps, ourselves.
If we can learn from last season’s blunders, ignore the media and chill the fuck out when they write us off, believe in ourselves and keep laser focused, then we have a massive chance of doing it.
Believe!
COYG
Fucking OOOOOOOSSSSSSSSHHHHH!!!!!
Really like the look of Jorginho and Rice together in midfield. Thought Jorginho in particular was excellent today.
Get in!!!