Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool: Defensive error gifts Gunners win

macko (44)in #football • 4 years ago

PREMIER LEAGUE
Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool: Defensive error gifts Gunners win
By: Mack Arish
In: Premier league, Arsenal, Liverpool
July 16, 2020
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Liverpool who had started the game in some brilliant fashion was to take a lead in the 20th minute through Sadio Mane. After the Senegalese had nearly closed down a Martinez’s free-kick, the ball came straight back at Arsenal with Firmino and Robertson combining easily down the left. Robertson slipped a simple ball across the face of goal, with Mane easily slamming easily home. Watch Highlights

Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool: Defensive error gifts Gunners win
But while Liverpool was regressing, Arsenal upped the tempo and it was another error that led to their equalizer in the 32nd minute. Defender Van Dijk had his arm tugged with the ball at his feet on the edge of his own box.

The home side was not done yet and was to take the lead minutes to the break after another fiasco from the visitors at the back. Alisson tried a cute chip towards Robertson out on the left but Lacazette nipped in ahead, running down the right, before pulling the ball back for Nelson, who steered a fine finish across the keeper and into the bottom left.

Arsenal have beaten Liverpool for the first time in the Premier League since April 2015 (4-1), with this being the first time Jurgen Klopp has suffered defeat against the Gunners in the competition (W5 D3 L1).
Liverpool suffered their first Premier League defeat in a game they opened in the scoring in since April 2017 (1-2 v Crystal Palace), ending a run of 83 consecutive league games without losing after scoring the opening goal.
This was Arsenal’s first Premier League win against the team starting the day top of the table since February 2016 (2-1 v Leicester), having lost each of their previous five such games before tonight.
Liverpool have conceded 10 goals in their last five Premier League away games (W1 D1 L3), as many as they had in their previous 19 league games on the road.
Arsenal’s equaliser came following Virgil van Dijk’s first error leading to a goal in the Premier League since March 2019 (for Liverpool v Fulham), while it was also the Gunners’ first shot of the game.

Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp’s team came out in the second half a different team and with Mikel Arteta sensing danger, he was to make three subs at the hour mark. In came Torreira out for Daniel Ceballos, Willock for Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for Reiss Nelson.

Klopp reacted to the moves by withdrawing the duo of Firmino and the ineffective Oxlade-Chamberlain are for Minamino and Keita.

Team news
Mikel Arteta made five changes from the defeat at Spurs as Cedric Soares, Rob Holding, Reiss Nelson, Lucas Torreira and Buakyo Saka were recalled into the Arsenal starting line-up.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain returned as Liverpool made two changes from the draw with Burnley.

Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool Player ratings
Arsenal: Martinez (7), Cedric (6), Holding (7), Luiz (7), Tierney (7), Nelson (8), Xhaka (7), Torreira (6), Saka (6), Pepe (6), Lacazette (8).

Subs: Maitland-Niles (6), Ceballos (5), Willock (5), Aubameyang (5), Kolasinac (n/a).

Liverpool: Alisson (4), Alexander-Arnold (6), Gomez (6), Van Dijk (4), Robertson (7), Fabinho (6), Wijnaldum (6), Oxlade-Chamberlain (6), Salah (7), Firmino (6), Mane (7).

Subs: Keita (5), Minamino (6), Shaqiri (n/a), Origi (n/a).

Man of the Match: Alexandre Lacazette