The stage is set for the latest rendition of a classic Premier League fixture, as Arsenal prepare to welcome Liverpool to the Emirates this weekend. This tie has provided countless iconic matches over the decades, of which we’ve picked out five of the most memorable.
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5. Arsenal 2-0 Liverpool (2000) – Hat-Trick of Reds
There have been some tasty clashes between these two sides over the years – there can’t be many other fixtures that have seen three red cards, not once, but twice. This particular meeting at Highbury featured a debut goal for Lauren and a moment of class from Thierry Henry – what else is new?
Those goals were overshadowed by Liverpool going down to nine men following red cards for Gary McAllister and Dietmar Hamann. The Gunners also went a man down after Patrick Vieira received a second yellow, but the hosts came out on top in a hard-fought affair, typical of this fixture.
4. Arsenal 3-4 Liverpool (2016) – Opening Weekend Classic
What a way to kick of the 2016/17 Premier League season, as these two English footballing giants went toe-to-toe in a seven-goal thriller. Theo Walcott quickly atoned for his missed penalty with a clinical strike roughly 60 seconds later. But three goals in 10 minutes either side of half-time saw Liverpool seize the initiative, with a stunning Philippe Coutinho free-kick the pick of the bunch.
When Sadio Mane netted the Reds’ fourth, Liverpool looked to be running rampant. Goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Calum Chambers gave Arsenal a glimmer of hope, but they would go on to lose the game by a single goal and miss out on the top four by a single point to – you guessed it – Liverpool.
3. Arsenal 1-2 Liverpool (2001) – FA Cup Final Drama
A historical day in Cardiff – the first ever FA Cup final played outside of England contested for the first time by two non-English managers. What a spectacle it was. Henry was denied the game’s opening goal when centre-half Stephane Henchoz tipped the ball round the post. Incredibly the referee appeared to have missed the most blatant of handballs, much to Henry’s dismay.
Arsenal did have their lead in the second half when Freddie Ljungberg skipped round the keeper to fire into an empty net. Enter a baby-faced Michael Owen. He levelled the score with a poacher’s finish from six yards, before galloping past a tired Arsenal defence to slot home the winner. Now fondly remembered on Merseyside as the Michael Owen FA Cup final.
2. Liverpool 4-4 Arsenal (2009) – Arshavin Quadruple
An absolute Premier League belter, this game just about had it all. Andrey Arshavin opened the scoring with a tidy finish, netting the only goal in the first 45 minutes. A quickfire double from Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun – what a throwback – saw Liverpool turn the game on its head. But enter the Russian superstar once more – Arshavin scored a second and third in quick succession to put the Gunners on top with 20 minutes remaining.
Torres replied just a couple of minutes later, and the game edged closer to finishing all-square. The fresh legs of Walcott proved pivotal, and the pacey winger went on a lung-bursting run before slipping through Arshavin for a fourth of the game. They celebrated like it was all over. Benayoun had other ideas. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, the Israeli midfielder pounced on a loose ball to tie the game at 4-4 and rescue Liverpool’s last hopes of challenging for the title.
1. Arsenal 4-2 Liverpool (2004) – Invincibles Comeback
How different things could have been. When Liverpool went into half-time 2-1 up, Arsenal’s invincible status was severely under threat. Robert Pires’s early second half equaliser settled the Highbury nerves somewhat, but it was none other than Thierry Henry that took the game by the scruff of the neck and ensured Arsenal would retain their undefeated status.
Just a minute after Pires levelled the tie, Henry picked the ball up around the halfway line. He drifted past one, waltzed past a second and third, before tucking the ball in the far corner with his trademark finish. A moment of pure genius in a truly remarkable campaign. He also went on to secure his hat-trick with just 10 minutes to go, as the ball ricocheted off him into the back of the net. Not quite classic Henry, but they all count.
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