1.52 PM Tuesday, 19 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 05:07 06:20 12:29 15:54 18:33 19:47
19 March 2024

Liverpool vs Arsenal: Skrtel's header rescues 10-man Reds

Published
By Football Correspondent and Agencies

Liverpool's heavily-bandaged Martin Skrtel headed a goal deep in stoppage time to spared them another deflating Premier League defeat as they snatched a 2-2 home draw with Arsenal on Sunday.

Inferior for most of the match, Arsenal still led with goals from French duo Mathieu Debuchy and Olivier Giroud after Philippe Coutinho had put the hosts deservedly ahead.

But Slovakian Skrtel, who required six minutes of treatment on a gashed head after being kicked by Giroud, thundered in a late header from Steven Gerrard's corner to deny Arsenal and at least give the Anfield faithful some pre-Christmas cheer.

Despite failing to earn all three points, Arsenal moved back into sixth spot on goal difference above London rivals Tottenham Hotspur with 27 points from 17 games, four behind fourth-placed West Ham United who hold the last Champions League spot.


Leaders Chelsea can restore their three-point advantage over Manchester City by beating Stoke City away on Monday.

While Arsenal have now lost just once in their last seven meetings with Liverpool, Sunderland have won four in a row against north east rivals Newcastle United after Adam Johnson's late goal gave them a 1-0 win in the day's other fixture.


A riveting Tyne-Wear derby at St James Park featured more than 30 goal attempts but Newcastle-born Johnson was the only one to find the net a minute from time to give Sunderland their third win of the season and lift them away from danger.

"There are different ways to win a game and to win a derby and I think a winning goal in the last minute is a special way to do it," Sunderland manager Gus Poyet said.

Fair result


Liverpool, languishing in mid-table, lost 3-0 at Manchester United the previous weekend when they created chances at will.

A lack of killer instinct seemed about to haunt them again on Sunday as they enjoyed 65 per cent possession and had four times as many goal attempts as the visitors.

With each failure to find the net thoughts inevitably drifted back to last season when, with Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez in harness, they blew Arsenal away 5-1.

In the end they needed a defender to salvage something from all their hard graft.

Even Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admitted three points for his side, had Skrtel not equalised, would have been fortunate.

"We regret to concede on a set piece in the last minute, but overall maybe a fair result," Wenger told Sky Sports.

"Last year was a bit in our mind and our flow was not there. We are playing a bit with the handbrake on."

Liverpool completely dominated the opening half but had to wait until the 45th minute before Coutinho punished Arsenal for conceding possession, switching the ball to his right foot and drilling past Wojciech Szczesny via the post.

Defensive gremlins

The defensive gremlins that have also undermined Liverpool's season returned immediately as Debuchy headed an unlikely equaliser in first-half stoppage time.

Giroud struck what looked like being the winner after a slick Arsenal counter-attack, converting from close range in the 64th minute from Santi Cazorla's cut back.

Liverpool had substitute Fabio Borini sent off late on but Skrtel's last-gasp intervention earned them a point to move them above Merseyside rivals Everton into 10th place on 22 points.

"They (Arsenal) had three shots on target today and we had 23 efforts on goal," Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers told Sky Sports. "Performance wise we are moving back to where we have been over the last couple of years."

Sunderland won for the first time in 10 league matches and it could not have been better timed.

Johnson, who has now scored on his last three visits to Newcastle, slammed in the winner after 89 minutes - shortly after Moussa Sissoko almost won it for hosts Newcastle.

"We've won three years in a row now, they must hate me here, three wins, three clean sheets," said Johnson.

In a match full of twists and turns Liverpool and Arsenal played out a 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday night.

 

 

Liverpool took the lead against the run of play when Philippe Coutinho found the net almost on the stroke of half-time but a minute later Mathieu Debuchy equalised to save Arsenal the ignominy of what was looking like another romp for Liverpool at their home ground.

The match picked up pace in the second half and this time Arsenal caught Liverpool off guard with Olivier Giroud putting Arsene Wenger's side ahead.


But just when the Gunners looked like moving out of the bottom rung came the equaliser from Martin Skrtel in the dying minutes of stoppage time.

The tall defender who suffered a cut on his head and bled profusely earlier in the game, came to Liverpool rescue with a booming header to help both teams share the spoils.

 

FULL-TIME

Liverpool 2 (Coutinho 45" Skrtel 90+7") Arsenal 2 (Debuchy 45+2 Giroud 64")

90+9": Cazorla slams a shot but Jones makes a last-ditch save.

90+6" GOAL! Liverpool had exerted enough pressure and it paid off when the bandaged Skrtel found the net with a booming header from a corner. ho would say that the same player suffered a bruise on his head.

Liverpool 2 (Coutinho 45" Skrtel 90+7") Arsenal 2 (Debuchy 45+2 Giroud 64")

90+4" Gerrard is deprived of a sure goal by some exceptional goalkeepeing from Szczesny.

90+3" RED! Cazorla gets a red card now.

90+3" RED! Borini who was shown the yellow is booked again and is sent to the dugout.

90+2" Szczesny makes another brilliant save stopping a pounding shot from Sterling. 

90" Nine minutes of stoppage time added.

88" YELLOW! Borini is booked for showing discontent.

86" Great save from Szczesny denying Borini a certain goal by tipping over from close.

84" Liverpool are trying hard and Coutinho hit the side netting.

80" With 10 minutes and some stoppage time to go both teams have made some changes. Giroud is out and in comes Coquelin, while Kolo Toure makes way for Rickie Lambert.

78" Sterling capitalises from a defensive lapse but is selfish on this count going for a shot when three of his teammates were unmarked.

74" Lucas Leiva comes close to equalising but his left footer swerves past the goalpost by inches. The Coutinho sends a weak shot into Szczesny gloves.

72" Markovic makes way for Borini.

69" Gerrard has a feeble shot which Szczesny dives to his left to collect.

68" Cazorla, Giroud and Gibbs are all over the Liverpool goal but none can make any headway. Suddenly Arsenal are playing some flowing football.

Liverpool 1 (Coutinho 45") Arsenal 2 (Debuchy 45+2 Giroud 64")

64" GOAL! Santi Cazorla gets to the dead-ball line and cuts a delivery back for Olivier Giroud who sweeps a finish low through Brad Jones.

60" Gerrard misses golden chance, his header off a Sterling cross, goes over after Szczesny had left his charge.

58" Lucas Leiva could have done better with this one when the ball roled nicely towards him but his booming shot sailed high over the crosspiece.

57" Skrtel continues to play with a head bandage.

52" Play is stopped as Skrtel needs attention after Giroud, with his back to the defender, comes down heavily on him, with his boot catching Skrtel's head. There is a bruise on his head and blood oozes out.

48" Cazorla has a shy from 25 yards, but fails to keep it low.

46" YELLOW! Debuchy is booked for a tackle on Sterling just outside the box but Gerrard's delivery is flat and is dealt with easily.

Half-time

Liverpool 1 (Coutinho 45") Arsenal 1 (Debuchy 45+2)

45+2" GOAL! Liverpool fans are stunned as Arsenal get the equaliser within a minute when Debuchy heads home from a free-kick melee in the box.

45" GOAL! Philippe Coutinho scores from top of the box, the ball hitting the far post giving Szczesny no chance whatsoever.

Liverpool have only lost one of their last 15 home matches on a Sunday, notching nine wins and five draws.

38" Markovic is playing havoc with Arsenal, this time he should have scored after Sterling put him in the open but his hasty shot went way over the bar.

35" The action shifts to the other end and Szczesny's opposite number Bradley storms out of the box to make a clearance before Giroud can get to it.

34" Szczesny brings off a brilliant save after Markovic bulldozed his way past the Arsenal defenders and tried slipping the past the keeper's legs but Szczesny was quick.

33" Arsenal make their first foray into the Liverpool box but Welbeck fails to meet Gibbs' cross.  

30" Liverpool have had more say in the match so far but they haven't done enough to trouble Arsenal.

29" Coutinho has a crack this time but the ball deflects off a defender giving Szczesny time to collect.

28" Markovic scoops the ball into the Arsenal box but before Coutinho could get to it the ball is cleared.

24" Szczesny is forced to charge out and make a desperate clearance.

23" Arsenal get their first corner but Sanchez makes a mess of it.

20" So far so good for Arsenal, at least compared to last season's carnage when they were four down inside 20 minutes, but Liverpool by far are the better side.

18" Lallana dilly-dallies for long on top of the box and ends up with a weak shot which deflects for a corner.

16" Markovic has been overlapping nicely on the left flank and asking a lot of questions from the Arsenal defenders who have been clearing the ball in desperation. 

12" Lallana does a superb u-turn with the ball and lets fly a half volley from top of the box which sails over.

10" Gerrard playing his 496 Premier League match is controlling the midfield well for Liverpool. Both teams have equal share of the exchanges in the first 10 minutes.

7" Arsenal earn their first free-kick on the left side of the Liverpool box but Cazorla's kick is collected without much ado by Jones.

6" Sterling is keeping the Arsenal defence on their toes with his speedy runs.

2" Coutinho is brought down outside the Arsenal box after a fine run from the halfway line. Gerrard sends his free-kick over.

Both teams are in the middle. Time for some action in a few minutes.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, speaking to Sky Sports: "For us it could be won or lost on the wings because they play three centre backs. They will be very dangerous with Sterling coming out quickly, he has a change of direction running with the ball so that is something we will have to watch.

"It's always a high paced game. I expect Liverpool to try to catch us on the break like they did last year. Of course we have to re-group quickly, get back quickly and yet not lose the focus of the attack."

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, speaking to Sky Sports: "It's been a struggle this season trying to find the balance; there is no doubt about that. But over the last few weeks the players have been working hard to get to that level again.

"Any player will tell you, you have to have that confidence - that ultimately breeds success. [In the League Cup against Bournemouth] we had an excellent performance. Bournemouth are an excellent side, and everybody saw that as a potential banana skin for us, but the level of our football was really good. It is a different challenge today."

We are just 15 minutes away from kick-off at Anfield and Arsene Wenger will be keen to draw inspiration from happier trips to Liverpool as his Arsenal side return to the place where they suffered a 5-1 defeat last season.

Mathieu Debuchy replaces Hector Bellerin for the Arsenal side that defeated Newcastle last weekend. Calum Chambers returns from suspension.

For Liverpool, Mamadou Sakho comes in for the injured Dejan Lovren at centre-back in the only change from their League Cup win over Bournemouth in midweek.

Arsenal XI: Wojciech Szczesny, Mathieu Debuchy, Per Mertesacker, Calum Chambers, Kieran Gibbs, Mathieu Flamini, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Santi Cazorla, Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud, Danny Welbeck.

Liverpool XI: Bradley Jones, Kolo Toure, Martin Skrtel, Mamadou Sakho, Lucas Leiva, Jordan Henderson, Lazar Markovic, Philippe Coutinho, Steven Gerrard, Adam Lallana, Raheem Sterling.

Stat Attack

Liverpool's 3-1 win over Bournemouth ended a 3-game winless run and Brendan Rodgers will challenge his players to build on that against Arsenal. The Reds won this fixture 5-1 last season, though that is their only win in their last 6 against Arsenal at Anfield.

The Gunners returned to winning ways in impressive fashion in the Premier League last time out, dispatching of Newcastle with relative ease in a comprehensive 4-1 win. However, a trip to Anfield is never the easiest for any team and Liverpool, despite the inconsistencies, will provide a much sterner test here.

Probable Formations

Arsenal: 4-2-3-1

Liverpool: 3-4-3-1

Preview

Two managers for whom criticism has become an unwelcome bedfellow this season face off in the Premier League on Sunday when Arsene Wenger's Arsenal tackle Brendan Rodgers's Liverpool at Anfield.

Arsenal's confidence has been improved by back-to-back 4-1 wins over Galatasaray and Newcastle United, but it was only two weeks ago that Wenger was barracked by fans of his own club following a 3-2 loss at Stoke City.

Rodgers, meanwhile, is under real scrutiny for the first time in his Liverpool tenure following a return of just two wins from eight league matches.

Last weekend's chastening 3-0 defeat at Manchester United left last season's runners-up in 11th place, seven points below the Champions League places and a yawning 18 points behind leaders Chelsea.

The highs of last spring now seem a distant memory, but Wenger, who has been at the Arsenal helm for 18 years, believes it will only be a matter of time before Rodgers's side start climbing the table again.

"I've sympathy for every single manager in the Premier League. Everybody goes through periods where it goes a bit less well," said the Frenchman, whose side began the weekend two points below the top four in sixth place.

"Our job is to survive crises. Part of the job, not all the job. When you want to make a long career, you cannot only win, unfortunately."

Rodgers cut an unusually taciturn figure in his pre-game media briefing on Friday, according journalists only four and a half minutes of his time and responding to their questions curtly.

But the Northern Irishman did become animated when asked to discuss the form of Raheem Sterling, who scored twice as Liverpool beat Championship leaders Bournemouth 3-1 in the League Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.

With Daniel Sturridge injured and new signings Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert toiling, Sterling has started as a 'false nine' in Liverpool's last two games.

The 20-year-old squandered several excellent opportunities against United at Old Trafford, but Rodgers saw encouraging signs during the victory over Bournemouth.

"The kid has been fantastic wherever he's played this season. He was outstanding the other night (against Bournemouth)," Rodgers said.

"It's been incredible, the stick the kid has received, with people trying to criticise him and put the focus on to him. He's been outstanding for us and it was another great performance from him the other night in a difficult game."

Asked if Sterling would reprise his role up front against Arsenal, Rodgers replied: "We'll see what's in the best interests of the team."

Rodgers can draw solace from the fact that his team destroyed Arsenal 5-1 when Wenger's side last came to Anfield in February, plundering four goals in a devastating 20-minute spell at the start of the game.

But although Arsenal also fell to heavy defeats at Manchester City (6-3) and Chelsea (6-0) last season, Wenger believes that they are now a more solid prospect.

"We've won five of our last six games," he said.

"Liverpool are always very strong at home and that's why we want to continue to be faithful to our philosophy and play our game, but as well be solid defensively."

Arsenal trio Theo Walcott, Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain (both groin) and Nacho Monreal (ankle) are due to undergo late fitness tests, but Aaron Ramsey is out with a hamstring problem. Calum Chambers returns from suspension.

Liverpool have doubts over centre-back Dejan Lovren, who was forced off against Bournemouth with a groin injury.

Midfielder Joe Allen is expected to return after missing the trip to Dean Court, but Balotelli is unavailable due to a Football Association suspension.

The Italian striker has been banned for one game for sharing a picture of video-game character Super Mario on Instagram that contained the words "jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a Jew".