Arsenal and Liverpool were both fielding Premier league debutants. Chamakh and Koscielny for Arsenal and Joe Cole making his premiership debut for Liverpool
Arsenal started lively and were awarded a freekick early on. Nasri laying the ball off to Vermaelen who struck it well and managed to produce a great save out of Reina in the Liverpool goal.
Liverpool had their first opportunity to really get forward after a serging run from Jovanovic who found Kuyt to his right but his cross could only find the hands of Almunia.
Arsenal continued after that Liverpool attack to keep the pressure on and they got another freekick after a crunching tackle on Eboue from Gerrard. Nasri took the freekick but it fell into the wall. The ball then came out to Vermaelen but he could only drill his shot wide.
Liverpool then had another great chance to make it 1-0 when Carragher played a high looping ball over the Arsenal defence to Jovanovic but he blazed his shot high and wide of the target.
Liverpool were looking the more comfortable team when Johnson serged forward from right back and exchanged a nice one - two with Kuyt. Johnson shot and Almunia had to make sure it was not going in by tipping it over the cross bar.
The resulting corner was almost a Liverpool goal but for Gael Clichy on the line who blocked N'gog's header.
Then a turning point in the match appeared. Just before half time Joe Cole went crunching into Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny and was sent off for his first ever career red card on his Premiership debut for Liverpool.
The score at half time was 0-0.
Despite Liverpool being down to 10 men they started the second half more in control of the game and they capitalised on Arsenal trying to pass the ball out of the defence. Javier Mascherano who was not expected to play becuase he wants to leave Anfield, intercepted the ball and found N'gog inside the area. N'gog smashed the ball home from a tight angle to put Liverpool 1-0 up. That was the frenchman's 4th goal of the season having scored 3 in Europa League Qualifying.
Arsenal were then awarded another free kick after Gerrard brought down Chamakh. Walcott took it and managed to bend the ball around the wall but Reina got fingertips to it and put it around the post.
Arsenal were getting forward in their numbers and if it was not for heroics from Reina in the Liverpool goal, Rosicky would of scored an equaliser from just outside the 6 yard box.
Arsenal then had
another great oportunity to grab an equaliser but Walcott failed to put the ball into an empty net in a goal mouth scramble attempt.On 90 minutes it looked as though Arsenal were never going to grab a goal but Rosicky delivered a great ball into the area which found Chamakh's head. He hit the post and the ball fell into the hands of Pepe Reina but he spilt the ball into the back of his net. The score was now 1-1 with 5 minites of injury time to be played. Reina had turned from hero to villain in a couple of minutes.
Liverpool were then awarded a free kick and Koscielny was yellow carded. Gerrard took it but Almunia made a great save to keep the score at 1-1.
Then in the last minute Koscielny picked up his second bookable offence for hand ball and was sent off.
The final score ended Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal.
The teams line ups:
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Skrtel, Cole, Mascherano(78), Gerrard, Jovanovic(65), Kuyt, N'gog(74).
Subs: Cavalieri, Aurelio, Kelly, Maxi(65) Lucas(78), Fernando Torres(74), Ryan Babel.
Arsenal: Almunia, Clichy, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Eboue(59), Sagna, Arshavin, Wilshere(59), Nasri, Diaby(76), Chamakh.
Subs: Fabianski, Gibbs, Rosicky(59), Walcott(59), Song, Vela, Van Persie(76).
My Man of the Match: Nasri (First half), Rosicky (Second half).
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Attendance: 44,722
No comments:
Post a Comment