By Louis Anderson-Rich
Hello and Welcome to Anfield where Liverpool prepare to take on Arsenal in the English Premier League.
It’s been a mixed start for new manager Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool, with a 3-0 loss to West Brom in their opening game followed by an unlucky draw to defending champions Manchester City.
Meanwhile Arsenal are yet to score in this season’s Premier League campaign, something that some fans have put down to the departure of talisman, and last season’s leading goalscorer, Robin van Persie to Manchester United.
So with both teams yet to prove themselves this season we should be in for a cracker of a match.
We’ll bring you live updates throughout the match so make sure you refresh your page occasionally.
----------------------------
LIVE COMMENTARY: Liverpool 0 – 2 Arsenal
90+4 Min: And that is fulltime here at Anfield, Brendan Rodgers with soe work to do you would think.
90+2 Min: Wayward pass from Gibbs allows Gerrard into the box, takes it to the byline, tries to cross…another corner…corner taken short Arsenal deal with it…or do they as the ball comes back in, and Mannone goes up for it! Doesn’t get it! Looks like he was fouled but no call. Oh wait now there is.
90+1 Min: 4 Minutes of stoppage time…corner crossed in…Johnson attacks it at the back but Arsenal clear it away and Aaron Ramsey goes on a run…still running…finally fouled by Shelvey who picks up a yellow card.
90 Min: Shelvey with another excellent long range effort! Mannone with a good save as he parries it away for a corner…
89 Min: Arsenal fans cheering every Arsenal pass at the moment as they hold out for the win.
87 Min: Gerrard has put in Suarez now! Suarez tries to dink the keeper! Over it goes…
86 Min: Liverpool continue to press for that elusive goal…Jonjo Shelvey with a great one-two with Gerrard, he’s on his right foot, beats a defender and goes back on his left Shelvey shoots! Parried! Falls to Vermaelen who clears! Liverpool continue to come close!
83 Min: Giroud with a free header! Over.
82 Min: Lukas Podolski has been replace by Andre Santos who’s first touch of the ball is to clear the corner…danger still there though as Liverpool put in another cross, cleared by Arsenal though and they break again! Long ball up to Giroud! He’s battling with Enrique who eventually puts the ball behind for a corner.
81 Min: Downing with another great effort from the edge of the box, took a deflection off Vermaelen and it will be another Liverpool corner.
79 Min: Per Mertesacker gets up for the header! Reina claims it though, then drops it! Ref calls a foul on Reina.
78 Min: Arsenal know they can wrap this one up now by just playing the ball around…Liverpool need to do something quickly with the ball…and Skrtel getting caught at the back isn’t it, Arsenal corner.
76 Min: Arteta with a wonderful ball that’s put Ramsey intosome space, he plays Podolski out on the left, not a great pass though and forces him a little to wide…Liverpool eventually win the ball back…and give it away again in the midfield to Diaby…
75 Min: Liverpool have plenty of possession at the moment but can’t seem to make it count, although here is Jonjo Shelvey with a shot! Goes wide.
74 Min: Daniel Agger looking unconvincing at the back after he almost runs into some trouble with Giroud.
73 Min: Aaron Ramsey on for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
72 Min: Johnson and Downing almost link up nicely…although Johnson has won it back from Gibbs and puts a ball into the area! To close to Mannone though and he claims it.
71 Min: Oxlade-Chamberlain has gone down with cramp so Arsenal kicked the ball away…although once the ball is out of play, up he jumps.
69 Min: Well Santi Carzola joins Lukas Podolski in scoring his debut goal for Arsenal and in the Premier League.
68 Min: Carzola, gives it to Podolski, back to Carzola who is in the box down the left! Shoots! Slips under Reina and is in! GOAL! Against the run of play!
67 Min: Substitution for Liverpool and Nuri Sahin for Jonjo Shelvey.
66 Min: Diaby again with so much space to run in the midfield…he plays Carzola who has a shot from the edge of the box and it just goes wide of the left post.
64 Min: Downing goes between two defenders and has a crack! It’s blocked and will be another corner…Corner whipped in, ball bounces about but is cleared…Liverpool have another crack though and Mannone makes a fantastic punch to intercept the cross…
62 Min: Daniel Agger has a decent shot from distance which swerves a bit but Manonne saves.
61 Min: Now Arsenal with some possession…it’s Jenkinson who has a pop on his left! Reina goes down to parry it away and it’s cleaned up by the Liverpool defence.
60 Min: Liverpool win another free-kick after Suarez goes down from a lazy Vermaelen challenge…again they can’t do anything with it though.
59 Min: Liverpool with another attack, Downing on the edge of the box, looks to shoot but plays the backheel to Suarez in space, Suarez shoots and forces the save from Manonne another corner to Liverpool…Cross is again weak and is cleared.
58 Min: Gerrard puts in a very plain corner and it’s cleared.
57 Min: Liverpool win a corner…in by Downing, away by Giroud falls to Allen who goes wide to Gerrard…Jenkins puts in a great tackle but it’s another corner to Liverpool.
56 Min: Cross in from Downing, and Suarez tries to get in there before Vermaelen and knocks him over in the process and the ball hits Vermaelen’s hands! Another big penalty shout! But nothing given.
55 Min: Stuart Downing has come on for a poor Borini.
54 Min: Well Liverpool respond with a decent attack Nuri Sahin found himself just outside the box with plenty of room to shoot, instead he puts it square to Borini who’s floated cross is weak.
53 Min: Excellent work from Arsenal as Carzola plays in Giroud who goes square to Podolski, Gibbs on the overlap, Podolski unlocks him Gibbs fires a ball across and Reina stays strong to palm it away.
52 Min: Well looking at the replay of that challenge it seems as though Mertesacker got away with it.
51 Min: Well Gerrard has popped up with the ball in the box after Allen slipped a lovely ball through, he puts a ball across for Suarez in the middle! Suarez goes down! Big penalty shout! Nothing for it though and play goes on.
49 Min: Arsenal still on the attack…Carzola unlocks Jenkins haring away down the left…delivers a cross which is blocked, Arsenal reset.
48 Min: Skrtel has picked up a silly yellow card.
47 Min: Liverpool under pressure straight away, Diaby has gotten into the box far too easily, puts a cross in but Liverpool dow well to take care of it.
46 min: Well we are back and Arsenal have gotten the second half back underway.
Very interesting game we’ve had at Anfield, Liverpool have had the better play but Arsenal have made it count on the break. Let’s see how this one turns out when we come back for the second half.
48 min: So after two minutes of extra time that is half time!
47 Min: Stirling does well on the edge of the box to get away from one tackle and another, plays a short ball to Gerrard who tries to take a touch past Mertesacker but Mertesacker’s long legs get to it and clears it.
46 Min: Allen takes a quick free-kick and it’s found Gerrard who plays a one-two with Borini, back to Sahin who tries to find Suarez’s head but Manonne claims it. Commentators just mentioned how Liverpool might be missing Andy Carroll after an attack like that. Sorry boys he’s at West Ham…
44 Min: Liverpool without any real interplay between the midfield and strikers at the moment…just had another look at the penalty shout and it looks as though Mertesacker just got a toes to the ball before Stirling went down. Some good reffing.
44 Min: Johnson with a lovely floated ball on to the toes of Suarez in the box but his touch is way off and the ball is cleared.
42 Min: Arsenal continue to try this cute little ball in behind the defenders from the edge of the box, Giroud is not linking up the passes though…
41 Min: Stirling links up well with Allen down the left…Mertesacker cuts out Allen’s run though…ball comes out to Suarez who gives it to Sterling, Sterling jinks inside the box and goes down under a heavy tackle! No penalty given! Ball still alive…nope away it goes to another Arsenal counter, Diaby is driving through the midfield! Passes from the edge of the box to Giroud who has crossed over, he shoots with his left first time! Misses the target and that should have been a goal!
38 Min: Well a long ball found Borini, looked to have gone to far but he throws a leg out to keep it in, the ball is way up in the air, Manonne should take this but instead he gives Suarez a little push and runs back into his goal, Suarez throws a foot at it but mis hits it, ball falls to Stirling who has a shot! Hits the post and goes out! Close to the top corner that one.
37 Min: Sterling worries Jenkins down the left side as he tries to put the ball round him…Jenkins with the slide tackle that puts it out of play. Corner for Liverpool….Corner defended out for another corner…second corner just headed away and Liverpool rebuild their attack.
36 Min: And ANOTHER break from Arsenal after some sloppy play from Gerrard it’s Diaby down the right, he launches a cross in but it’s gone way over Giroud.
35 Min: Arsenal with another break and it’s Santi Carzola and Podolski linking up again. Podolski has Giroud in front of him screaming for it but Podolski shoots! Takes a deflection and is safely in the hands of Pepe Reina.
34 Min: Slight stoppage in play after Vermaelen went in with a challenge on Suarez who then stamped on Vermaelen’s knee…Accidental though…I think.
32 Min: Arsenal’s three and a half hour goal-drought is over and Lukas Podolski has his first Arsenal and Premier League goal.
31 Min: Arsenal still on the attack and Podolski’s pass has found Carzola in some real space here…Carzola takes it up to the edge of the box, finds Podolski with a great pass in the box! He takes a touch! Shoots on his left! GOAL!
30 Min: Oh Mertesacker has given the ball away so cheaply, passed it right into the path of Gerradr who charges upfield, plays it to Sterling who loses it though and now it’s Arsenal down the other end of the field….Kieran Gibbs with a cross from the left to Giroud but it’s gone way over his head…unfortunately he isn’t Peter Crouch.
27 Min: Arsenal have run into a bit of trouble at the back as Mertesacker tried to play a ball to Oxlade-Chamberlain which has been introduced by Stirling on the edge of the box! Down he goes under a tackle from Arteta and it will be a Liverpool free-kick in a very dangerous position…Gerrard has a go with this one but it hits the wall and is cleared.
26 Min: Gerrard out wide on the right for Liverpool, goes inside to Johnson who plays a very poor ball to no one…
25 Min: Gerrard loses a ball in midfield and Abou Diaby has picked up, he runs it up to the edge of the box and then gives it out to Podolski wide on the left Cross comes in but Reina is fouled by Giroud.
24 Min: Nuri Sahin has had a few nice touches in his debut for Liverpool…
22 Min: Luis Suarez plays a loose pass which finds Abou Diaby of Arsenal and now Arsenal mount an attack….but that’s broken down and now it’s Steven Gerrard who plays a great diagonal ball that finds Luis Suarez in space, what can he do here…turns out he can’t do anything with it as the ball goes into touch.
21 Min: Arsenal have just hit their 200th minute of English Football without scoring or conceding a goal.
19 Min: Podolski and Gibbs play a nice one-two and Gibbs wins a free-kick after being tripped by Borini…Carzola puts it in…headed away by Agger and hoofed out by Sterling...Vermaelen goes on a bit of a charge from halfway, has a shot but it’s dribbled wide and out.
17 Min: it looks like Brendan Rodgers’ style of play has already been adopted by Liverpool as they pass it around the midfield…Joe Allen in good form at the moment.
15 Min: Oxlade-Chamberlain with a cross from the right is way overcooked.
14 Min: Great switch ball to Borini in miles of space down the right, he runs into the box and tries to put in a cross but it’s stopped by Thomas Vermaelen…Gibbs is nowhere to be seen down Arsenal’s left side…
13 Min: Liverpool with the first corner of the match…Gerrard puts it in and Agger is there! Skims the top of his head though and goes wide…
12 Min: Now it’s Arsenal’s turn as Gibbs finds Podolski in front of him just outside the edge of the box, he crosses it in but Skrtel puts a foot in, not cleared though and it’s Podolski on the edge of the box surrounded by defenders, falls to Carzola who shoots! Hardly troubles Reina.
11 min: Well it really is all Liverpool at the moment as Jose Enrique wins a tackle, passes it forwards to Sterling who gives it inside to Gerrard, one more over to Suarez who shoots! Goes over from a difficult angle.
10 Min: Gerrard’s hustling and bustling in the midfield and wins the ball off Santi Carzola, tries to find Sterling but can only find Mertersacker…
9 Min: Nice work in the midfield from Borini who turns away from one player and finds Johnson in space! Offside called on Johnson though…
7 Min: Another chance for Liverpool as Gerrard finds Suarez who beats Mertesacker very easily, so he tugs his shirt and Suarez go down. Early yellow card for Mertesacker and a free-kick for Liverpool in a good position…Suarez with the shot but he can’t recreate his effort from last week against Man City as it sails harmlessly over the bar.
6 Min: Liverpool with a break here, Suarez let a pass through to Borini…he still has it Gerrard is on the overlap but Borini shoots and it’s dragged wide.
5 Min: So pretty low-key start from both sides at the moment…Liverpool looking good down the right while Arsenal go for a more straight-forward approach.
4 Min: Kieran Gibbs puts a clean tackle in on Glenn Johnson down the right side, comes away with it and Arsenal are passing it around in Liverpool’s half….
3 Min: Per Mertesacker sends a long diagonal ball up to Olivier Giroud but he is flagged for the first offside of the game.
2 Min: Arsenal with their first passage of play…long ball goes forward nothing comes of it…Liverpool make the first excursion into the Liverpool box, a ball from Raheem Stirling almost finds Luis Suarez. Key word being ‘almost’.
1 Min: And Liverpool kick-off to get us underway…Liverpool start cautiously, just content to pass it rounf the back. Ball gets fizzed up to Suarez but his touch is poor and it goes out.
So we are only a few moments from kick-off, both teams out on the field ready for the cursory handshake.
Looks like a good day on Merseyside, overcast but not wet.
-----------------------------
Teams:
Liverpool:
Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Jose Enrique, Gerrard, Allen, Sahin, Borini, Suarez, Sterling.
Subs: Jones, Henderson, Coates, Downing, Carragher, Shelvey, Kelly.
Arsenal:
Mannone, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Diaby, Arteta, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Podolski, Giroud.
Subs: Martinez, Koscielny, Andre Santos, Walcott, Ramsey, Coquelin, Gervinho.
Pregame Banter from Chris Lehourites – AP:
Only days after letting striker Andy Carroll go on loan, Liverpool will be looking for goals against Arsenal in the Premier League.
In the showcase match of the weekend, the Reds will face Arsenal at Anfield with both teams trying to earn their first win of the season.
"We have got a massive game at the weekend. We had a brilliant performance last weekend, just didn't quite get the result we deserved," said Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, whose team held defending champion Manchester City to a 2-2 draw. "It will be tough this weekend as well but the players are really looking forward to it, as am I."
Luis Suarez scored against City, but won't be playing alongside Carroll anymore this season. The big striker was loaned to West Ham.
City will be taking on Queens Park Rangers, while Manchester United visits Southampton on Sunday. Chelsea, the early league leader with nine points from three games, will instead play in the European Super Cup against Atletico Madrid.
At Anfield, Arsenal could end up with backup Vito Mannone in goal again because of Wojciech Szczesny's rib injury. The Italian was between the posts last week when the Gunners were held to a 0-0 draw by Stoke.
"It is a dream of any kid to play at Anfield. I went a few years ago to watch a game, just to see the stadium," Mannone said. "It will be fun if I have the chance because I would love to play in that ground, feel the atmosphere and hopefully get a win."
City will host QPR again about three months after a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory that gave the Blues their first title in 44 years.
"I hope this year we can do the same result but not concede one or two goals again," City manager Roberto Mancini said. "It is important we win this game but we know it will be difficult. It will be the same."
Manchester United will be without Wayne Rooney, as the England striker was injured in the 3-2 win over Fulham last week. He came on as a substitute and was cut in the right leg when he was stepped on.
But with both Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa scoring against Fulham, Rooney's lack of fitness probably would have kept him out of the team to face Southampton regardless.
"Wayne's a bit behind other players in terms of fitness," United manager
Alex Ferguson said. "It wasn't an easy choice to leave Wayne out because he is a very good player who can score you goals."
Rooney should be back in about four weeks, according to Ferguson.
"It's nothing serious on the actual gash. It's a bad one but it was treated carefully and very quickly and we don't expect any complications," Ferguson said. "The fact it's a gash and not a ligament, muscle or joint injury means he can do a lot of work in the gym so he should be back in four weeks."
3 News