“It’s funny the lack of true rivalry between Liverpool and Arsenal,” says Niall Mullen. “Probably their peaks never really coincided (“it’s up for grabs” aside). The closest thing to enmity I can recall was after Stephane Hénchoz’s goalkeeping exploits in 2001 and the fortuitous penalty in the 2008 Champions League quarter final. I guess that could change but it feels like the two clubs have an enemy in common these days.”
There were also three red cards in a game in August 2000, though that was more about Graham Poll than any strong rivalry. The peak is surely 1986-91, when George Graham knocked Liverpool off their perch. Liverpool had their moments too, obviously, including one of my favourite free-kicks.
Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
Crystal Palace 1-0 Tottenham
West Ham 2-1 Man Utd
Cole Palmer, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jarrod Bowen (a 92nd-minute penalty) scored the winning goals in those games. Palmer also played one of the passes of the season so far.
Chelsea’s win means Arsenal drop to fifth before kick-off, though a draw would move them up to third.
“Phew, well I’d call it the match of the century, I don’t know about Match of the Day,” puffed Wolstenholme pitchside after the final whistle. Colour analyst Walley Barnes – he of the late own goal in 1947 – veered awkwardly into shot to agree that “match of the century is probably very right”. Sadly, nobody who went to Anfield that day would have been able to hear these Cholmondley Warneresque jolly japes. BBC2 had only been on the air for four months, and was only available in the London area. An estimated audience of 20,000 watched history being transmitted – less than half of the day’s 47,620 attendance – and viewers in Liverpool would have to make do with either The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, a western on BBC1, or ABC’s western Sugarfoot. Today’s multi-channel world of wall-to-wall tat suddenly doesn’t seem so oppressive.
Arsenal were criticised for overcelebrating after a terrific 3-1 victory over Liverpool at the Emirates in February. And they’ll happily do it again if they win today.
Great news for Arsenal: Bukayo Saka has recovered from his hamstring injury and is in their XI. Jurrien Timber is also fit to return, but Riccardo Calafiori hasn’t made it. In all there are three changes to the side that started last weekend’s defeat at Bournemouth. Saka, Timber and Gabriel Martinelli replace Calafiori, Raheem Sterling and the suspended William Saliba. It looks like Ben White will play at centre-back in Saliba’s absence.
Liverpool make three changes, one enforced, from the win over Chelsea last weekend. Darwin Nunez covers for the injured Diogo Jota; Luis Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister are preferred to Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Liverpool (4-3-3) Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Diaz. Substitutes: Jaros, Davies, Gomez, Endo, Szoboszlai, Gakpo, Tsimikas, Quansah, Morton.
Referee Anthony Taylor.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Arsenal v Liverpool at the Emirates. As with many of the best games, before kick-off you can make a decent case for either side being the favourite. Arsenal are at home, where they’ve won 15 of the last 18 games, but they’re on a downer and will be without at least three key players. Liverpool are full of the joys and have won all six away matches under Arne Slot, but they haven’t really been tested in the league. Three of their away wins came against teams in the bottom four; the other was at Old Trafford.
While Liverpool would love to make a statement of title-winning intent, it feels like an even bigger game for Arsenal – not must-win so much as mustn’t-lose. It doesn’t feel right that a team with sucn an outstainding Premier League record in 2024 – P26 W21 D3 L2 Pts 66 – should be under such scrutiny. But this is the life they chose, mainly to experience days like today. And they know a defiant win would end that scrutiny before sundown.