Arsenal v Liverpool: Premier League – live

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At the 31-minute mark, Gary Stover comments on the choice to position Rice on the right, noting, “Merino is left-footed.”

That's true, but Rice is primarily right-footed and typically operates on the left side of the field. This was the case last week against Bournemouth, even with Merino also on the field. I have a feeling there's another explanation for this.

"Okay," Matt Dony says. "I'm about to step onto a five-a-side soccer field. (My knees aren’t ready for this!) It would be really nice if nothing significant happened for the next hour or so..."

After a 29-minute pause, Arsenal enjoyed a solid opportunity. Martinelli managed to outpace Alexander-Arnold, delivering a threatening early cross into the box. The ball evaded Saka near the front post and was too fast for Havertz to handle as it went past the far post.

In the 28th minute, Alexander-Arnold sends a well-placed pass back to Salah, who aims to set up the advancing Jones. However, the ball takes a deflection, creating a chaotic moment reminiscent of a pinball machine, before Arsenal finally manages to clear it away.

It seems that Liverpool is gradually gaining control.

In the 26th minute, Arsenal continues their play despite Mac Allister being on the ground. He finally stands up, only to be met with boos from the crowd, and then he proceeds to express his frustration to the referee.

"It can be tricky to pick up on sarcasm in written text," Joe Pearson notes. "But was your comment from 5 minutes in a subtle hint that Partey might benefit from some support when facing the quicker Diaz?"

No, that's not the case, and I don't believe that's the reason Rice is positioned there. While it's true that some central midfielders are chosen to support a full-back—like how Darren Fletcher excelled in that role against Arsenal early in his career—this typically occurs in a 4-3-3 formation.

In the 24th minute, Saka, clearly Arsenal's most dangerous player by far, sends a curling shot from 25 yards just over the crossbar. It may sound odd considering his popularity, but one could still argue that Saka isn't fully appreciated for his talent.

It was Diaz who cleared the ball. The referee noticed it; the reason he didn’t get a yellow card is that he supposedly didn’t hold up the game since Arsenal wasn’t ready for the free-kick. Is that a reasonable explanation? City wasn’t ready when Trossard left the field, so it seems inconsistent.

20 minutes in: Merino has an opportunity! Rice delivers a fantastic free-kick from a bit deeper on the right side. It goes past the defenders at the near post and finds its way to Merino, who ends up sending a volley way off target from just six yards out. It initially seemed like a promising chance, but the ball might have been a bit behind him.

Arsenal fans are quite frustrated because a Liverpool player just booted the ball away. I didn’t catch who it was, and, more crucially, neither did the referee, Anthony Taylor.

In their second league match in a row, Arsenal has been caught off guard by a set-piece. Alexander-Arnold sent a ball toward the near post, where Diaz redirected it in the style reminiscent of Steve Bould. Van Dijk positioned himself in front of Partey, just six yards from the goal, and headed the ball past Raya.

Arsenal And Liverpool Draw 1-1

If Virgil van Dijk made a mistake that led to Arsenal's goal, he's certainly redeemed himself now!

In a recently shared message from Pittsburgh, Eric Peterson remarked, “The way this ‘rivalry’ is shaped seems to be heavily influenced by how much both teams dislike Manchester United. It’s hard to feel much animosity towards a team with whom you share that common ground. I'm eager to watch a match that could showcase the ‘true’ Liverpool of today. While Arne Slot has achieved notable results, it’s important to remember that most of their opponents so far have come from the lower half of the standings. This upcoming game will serve as a crucial gauge for the new Liverpool and a preview of what lies ahead for them in the league as they face stronger competition.”

I believe Niall makes an important observation: their achievements have seldom aligned. This is often the foundation for around 90 percent of rivalries that aren't rooted in geographical differences.

14 minutes: Salah has an opportunity! Mikel Merino lets the ball slip past him, 25 yards away from the goal. It heads straight to Salah, but with Raya off his line, his shot on the first touch goes a few yards wide of the right post. For someone of his caliber, that was a missed opportunity.

While commentating on Sky, Gary Neville expressed that Virgil van Dijk could have done more to assist Robertson during the goal. However, the way Saka skillfully slipped the ball through Robertson’s legs to set up the shot and then caught Kelleher off guard by shooting it past him at the near post was quite impressive.

Bukayo Saka has given Arsenal the lead with a fantastic goal. Ben White, who is playing as a center-back today, sent a brilliant long pass over to the space behind Robertson, which Saka picked up. He raced into the penalty area, slipped the ball through Robertson's legs, and fired it into the net past Kelleher at the near post.

Arsenal Beats Liverpool 1-0: Saka Scores Early

The match is still a bit chaotic, but Salah nearly brings some excitement with a clever through ball aimed at Diaz. However, Ben White steps in with a key interception.

In the 7th minute, Van Dijk makes a slight kick at Havertz when the ball isn't in play and gets called out for it—he might have been given a yellow card for that. Arsenal fails to capitalize on the resulting free-kick.

Arsenal is employing a box midfield strategy. The only minor adjustment is that Declan Rice is positioned as the right central midfielder; it’s interesting to consider the reason behind this choice.

The vibe at the Emirates is fantastic, just like it has been during their rise under Mikel Arteta. Today, there’s a real sense of being the underdog, with every challenge being celebrated. And that’s perfectly fine.

In the 2nd minute, Alexander-Arnold takes a free-kick that Van Dijk meets with a threatening header, but a player wearing red clears it off the six-yard line.

In the second minute, Saka commits a foul on Robertson on Liverpool's left side. Alexander-Arnold is preparing to take the free kick...

1 min Beep beep! Following the rendition of the Last Post, Curtis Jones starts the match. Liverpool, dressed in their black alternate kit, will be attacking from right to left on our screen.

Here’s a recap of the teams.

Arsenal might utilize Trossard in a more central role within a 4-3-3 formation, but Mikel Arteta typically prefers a box midfield setup during crucial matches.

Arsenal's potential lineup (4-2-4 formation) includes: Raya in goal; Partey, White, Gabriel, and Timber in defense; Merino and Rice in midfield; and Saka, Havertz, Trossard, and Martinelli up front. The bench features Neto, Gabriel Jesus, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Sterling, Lewis-Skelly, Nichols, and Nwaneri.

Liverpool's lineup for the match follows a 4-3-3 formation: Kelleher takes the goal; the defense consists of Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, and Robertson. In midfield, you'll find Mac Allister, Gravenberch, and Jones. Up front, the attacking trio is made up of Salah, Nunez, and Diaz. On the bench, the substitutes are Jaros, Davies, Gomez, Endo, Szoboszlai, Gakpo, Tsimikas, Quansah, and Morton.

Curtis Jones has had a week off to recharge, so we're optimistic that he'll be able to play like he did last week.

Before a match, you don’t focus on the points difference, like Liverpool potentially being seven points ahead of Arsenal if they succeed. Instead, your priority is to get the team ready to play as well as they can. Sometimes it's the skill of the players that makes a significant impact; other times, it can come down to a fortunate choice. Set pieces also play a critical role. You need to give your all, and only after the game can you consider how the points tally reflects your efforts.

Mikel Arteta's reflections before the match.

[Regarding the comeback of Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber] Their determination to be back on the field is impressive and truly lifts our spirits. While injuries can create chances for other players, we are fortunate to have an incredible team.

Here’s a message for the audience as well: when they arrive at the Emirates, it’s important for them to truly embrace the experience. We need to express that confidence and energy in our body language to secure the win.

"It's amusing how there hasn't been a genuine rivalry between Liverpool and Arsenal," notes Niall Mullen. "Their prime moments probably never aligned, aside from that famous 'it's up for grabs' moment. The only real tension I remember is from 2001 with Stephane Hénchoz's goalkeeping performance and the lucky penalty in the 2008 Champions League quarter-final. This could potentially shift in the future, but right now it seems like both clubs are more focused on a shared adversary."

In a match from August 2000, there were three red cards issued, but this was more related to referee Graham Poll than any intense competition between the teams. The height of this rivalry was definitely from 1986 to 1991, when George Graham's team managed to dethrone Liverpool. Liverpool definitely had their share of highlights as well, including one of my all-time favorite free-kicks.

Crystal Palace defeated Tottenham 1-0.

West Ham defeated Manchester United with a score of 2-1.

Cole Palmer, Jean-Philippe Mateta, and Jarrod Bowen (who converted a penalty in the 92nd minute) netted the decisive goals in those matches. Additionally, Palmer delivered one of the most impressive passes of the season to date.

Chelsea's victory has pushed Arsenal down to fifth place before the match begins, but if they manage to draw, they can climb up to third.

"Whew, I’d say that was the match of a lifetime, though I’m not so sure about it being the Match of the Day," exclaimed Wolstenholme from the sidelines after the game ended. Color commentator Walley Barnes, known for his unfortunate own goal in 1947, awkwardly stepped into the frame to concur that “calling it the match of the century is probably spot on.” Unfortunately, the fans at Anfield that day would have missed these humorous exchanges. BBC2 had launched just four months earlier and was only broadcasting in the London area. Approximately 20,000 people watched the historic event on TV, which was less than half of the 47,620 spectators present at the stadium. Viewers in Liverpool had to settle for either a western series called The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters on BBC1 or another western, Sugarfoot, on ABC. In comparison, today’s endless array of channels filled with mediocre content doesn’t seem nearly as overwhelming.

Arsenal faced backlash for celebrating excessively after their impressive 3-1 win against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in February. However, they would be more than willing to celebrate in the same way if they secure another victory today.

Team Update: Saka In Starting XI

Arsenal has received some excellent news: Bukayo Saka is back from his hamstring injury and will be leading the team. Jurrien Timber is also fit to play again, but Riccardo Calafiori is still out. In total, there are three changes from the team that faced defeat against Bournemouth last weekend. Saka, Timber, and Gabriel Martinelli come in for Calafiori, Raheem Sterling, and the suspended William Saliba. It appears that Ben White will take on the centre-back role in Saliba's absence.

Liverpool has made three adjustments to their lineup from the previous victory against Chelsea, with one change being necessary due to injury. Darwin Nunez steps in for the sidelined Diogo Jota, while Luis Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister take the places of Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Arsenal might line up in a 4-2-4 formation with Raya in goal. The defense will feature Partey, White, Gabriel, and Timber. In midfield, they'll have Merino and Rice, while the attacking front includes Saka, Havertz, Trossard, and Martinelli. On the bench, they've got Neto, Gabriel Jesus, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Sterling, Lewis-Skelly, Nichols, and Nwaneri.

Liverpool lined up in a 4-3-3 formation with Kelleher in goal. The defense included Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, and Robertson. In midfield, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, and Jones took their positions, while the forward trio consisted of Salah, Nunez, and Diaz. On the bench were Jaros, Davies, Gomez, Endo, Szoboszlai, Gakpo, Tsimikas, Quansah, and Morton.

Hello and thanks for joining our live coverage of the match between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium. Like many exciting matchups, there's a solid argument to be made for either team being favored before the match starts. Arsenal is playing at home, where they’ve had an impressive record, winning 15 out of their last 18 games. However, they've hit a rough patch and will be missing at least three important players. On the other hand, Liverpool is riding high, having won all six of their away games under their new manager, Arne Slot. Yet, they haven't faced much of a challenge in the league; three of those away victories were against teams in the bottom four, while their other win came at Old Trafford.

Liverpool is eager to show their ambition for the title, but for Arsenal, this match feels even more crucial—it’s less about needing to win and more about avoiding defeat. It seems unfair that a team with such an impressive record in the Premier League this season—played 26, won 21, drawn 3, lost 2, totaling 66 points—should be facing such intense pressure. Yet, this is the path they chose, primarily to face challenges like the one today. A strong win could lift that pressure off their shoulders by the end of the day.