Match Report – Match Highlights – Post-Match Press Conference
Final Result: Arsenal 3-1 Liverpool (Saka 14′, Martinelli 67′, Trossard 92’| Gabriel OG. 45’)
Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Raya; Zinchenko (Kiwior 45?), Saliba, Gabriel, White; Rice, Odegaard, Jorginho; Martinelli (Trossard 74?), Saka (Nelson 79′), Havertz
The stakes couldn’t be any much higher with Arsenal knowing that a loss to Liverpool would leave them eight points behind, which would have been an insurmountable task to catch up. Despite a 1-1 draw with Liverpool in Anfield, the visitors came into the game in good confidence, especially with the fact that when both sides in the FA Cup Third Round last month, Arsenal were toothless and sank without trace.
Arsenal came out all guns blazing with Gabriel Martinelli swinging a cross to Bukayo Saka that was headed wide with a gaping goal in sight. Maybe he was pushed by Joe Gomez, maybe, but it was a really bad miss. The attacking onslaught from the home side finally paid off, as Oleksandr Zinchenko teed up Martin Odegaard on the left, whose through ball saw stand-in striker, Kai Havertz, clean on goal with Alisson Becker. Havertz fired a tame effort that was saved by the Brazilian goalie but the chance fell kindly to Saka that pounced on the rebound to put the home side ahead.
Liverpool was rattled from the Arsenal attacks and were in sixes and sevens when Trent Alexander-Arnold made a mess that saw a turnover in play. Havertz bore down on goal and threaded the ball to Odegaard that dallied on the ball a bit before blasting a shot that was blocked by Virgil van Dijk.
Liverpool’s goal came in rather in explicable circumstances with William Saliba looking to shield Luis Diaz to allow David Raya claim the ball, but a lack of communication and atrocious defending from Saliba allowed Diaz to flick the ball off Gabriel for an unfortunate own goal. This was a very annoying way to end the half, bearing in mind that Arsenal dominated proceedings from the get-go.
At the start of the second half, we saw Jakub Kiwior come on for Zinchenko, but there was some confusion of whether the decision was injury-enforced or tactical. The winds were on the sails on Liverpool’s side and the visitors made the better attempts on the half, with Diaz and Alexis MacAllister coming so close to grabbing the lead. With Liverpool on the ascendancy, Jurgen Klopp went for the jugular, summoning Andrew Robertson, Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott.
There was a shout for a penalty when MacAllister was deemed to have impeded Havertz in the box, but the VAR checks waved off Arsenal’s appeals. That wasn’t necessary moments later when Arsenal went ahead following a comedic error from two of Liverpool’s most experienced heads. Gabriel launched a diagonal ball that was chased by Martinelli, but knowing van Dijk’s defensive prowess, I expected to be an easy clearance. However, the Liverpool captain allowed the ball to bounce, and was expecting his goalie to send the ball to Row Z. Alisson, laughably, totally missed the ball, allowing Martinelli to side-foot the ball to the unguarded net.
With Liverpool going for broke, there were going to leave gaping holes at the back. Arsenal hit them on the break with Odegaard dinking a sumptuous ball to Kiwior, yes, Kiwior, but his header was straight at Alisson. Late on, Ibrahima Konate saw red and Arsenal put the game beyond doubt when Leandro Trossard skipped past Elliott, bore down on goal and fired his shot through Alisson’s legs.
It was a great way to settle the contest and spark celebrations at the Emirates, as Arsenal handed Liverpool their last defeat since losing to Spurs in September. The results puts the Gunners two points behind the leaders, sending the title race wide open.
Sayonara.
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