Final, 2-2: It’s over at Anfield. The game ends in a draw.
Liverpool and Arsenal share the points after an entertaining game. It looked like Arsenal might snatch a victory until Skrtel’s last-gasp header tied the game with two minutes remaining. Liverpool controlled the game and created far more chances than Arsenal, but defensive errors and wastefulness in front of goal proved costly in the end.
[tweet https://twitter.com/Squawka/status/546726902611054592Â align=’center’%5D
That’s all for now, and thanks for joining us. Let’s discuss this one on Twitter @NESNsoccer and Facebook. Be sure to keep an eye out for some news, fan reactions, analysis and opinion that is on the way on NESN.com.
Postgame analysis of Liverpool-Arsenal >>
90th minute +9, 2-2: Cazorla tests Jones with a long-range drive, but the Liverpool goalkeeper makes a fine save.
90th minute +7, 2-2: Skrtel scores a dramatic game-tying goal.
Lallana sent a corner kick into the Arsenal penalty area. Skrtel had a running start, leaped and thumped a header into the Arsenal goal.
[tweet https://twitter.com/razaespn/status/546725981260894209Â align=’center’%5D
90th minute +5, 2-1 Arsenal: Gerrard shoots on target from 30 yards out, but Szczesny makes another fine save.
90th minute +4, 2-1 Arsenal: Monreal replaces Sanchez, as Arsenal makes its final substitution.
90th minute +2, 2-1 Arsenal:Â Borini has been sent off after planting a high foot into Cazorla’s stomach. The referee shows Borini his second yellow card of the game and sends off the Italian striker.
[tweet https://twitter.com/KICKTV/status/546724930549997569Â align=’center’%5D
90th minute +1, 2-1 Arsenal: Sterling cuts inside and shoots on goal, but Szczesney turns it away at the near post.
90th minute, 2-1 Arsenal: There will be nine minutes of stoppage time in the second half.
90th minute, 2-1 Arsenal: Arsenal makes another substitution, as Campbell replaces Oxlade-Chamberlain.
90th minute, 2-1 Arsenal: Borini is cautioned for throwing the ball into the ground in frustration.
88th minute, 2-1 Arsenal:Â Szczesny makes another save on Borini after the Italian volleyed Gerrard’s pass on target.
86th minute, 2-1 Arsenal: Sterling sets up Borini, who heads a shot on goal, but Szczesny palms it over the crossbar.
[tweet https://twitter.com/SkyFootball/status/546723300043685888Â align=’center’%5D
84th minute, 2-1 Arsenal: Lallana slips a pass forward to Coutinho, who shoots into the side netting from an impossibly tight angle.
82nd minute, 2-1 Arsenal: Arsene Wenger counters with his first substitution. Coquelin replaces Giroud.
[tweet https://twitter.com/stighefootball/status/546721978040987648Â align=’center’%5D
81st minute, 2-1 Arsenal: Liverpool makes another substitution. Toure exits. Lambert enters.
76th minute, 2-1 Arsenal: Borini sets up Coutinho in a promising position, but the Brazilian scuffs his shot, allowing Szczesny to gather it with ease.
75th minute, 2-1 Arsenal: Lucas narrowly misses with a left-footed shot from the top of Arsenal’s penalty area.
74th minute, 2-1 Arsenal: Liverpool makes its first substitution, replacing Markovic with Borini.
Sterling has shifted to left wing-back, while Borini takes up the center-forward’s role.
72nd minute, 2-1 Arsenal: There’s another stoppage in play, as Welbeck is down with an apparent head injury.
The Arsenal forward now is back up and the game resumes.
70th minute, 2-1 Arsenal: Gerrard’s shot is deflected into Szczesny’s waiting hands.
Liverpool now is forcing the issue as it searches for the game-tying goal.
67th minute, 2-1 Arsenal: Sterling misses with a scooped shot.
66th minute, 2-1 Arsenal: Coutinho’s shot from 15 yards out takes a deflection, and Szczesny saves it with no fuss.
65th minute, 2-1 Arsenal: Giroud puts the Gunners in front.
Gibbs started the move with a pass to Giroud at the top of Liverpool’s penalty area. Giroud then made a first-time pass to Cazorla, who sent it back to him. Giroud swept it home from close range.
[tweet https://twitter.com/razaespn/status/546718273711394818Â align=’center’%5D
[tweet https://twitter.com/OptaJoe/status/546717674114678785Â align=’center’%5D
62nd minute, 1-1: Sterling floats a cross to the penalty spot, but Gerrard’s diving header goes over the bar.
60th minute, 1-1: Lucas runs onto Markovic’s cut-back pass but shoots well into the stands. Lucas claims Flamini deflected his shot.
57th minute, 1-1: Play resumes after doctors bandage Skrtel’s head. The Liverpool center back will play on.
53rd minute, 1-1: There a break in play, as Skrtel receives treatment for a head wound.
Giroud pushed Skrtel to the ground and accidently stepped on his head, causing a nasty gash.
[tweet https://twitter.com/Now__Football/status/546714889256173568Â align=’center’%5D
[tweet https://twitter.com/OliverKayTimes/status/546715624198897664Â align=’center’%5D
49th minute, 1-1: Cazorla shoots over Jones’ goal after dribbling past two defenders in Liverpool’s half.
48th minute, 1-1: Coutinho misses the target with a powerful shot from the edge of Arsenal’s penalty area.
47th minute, 1-1: Debuchy is cautioned for blocking Sterling near the top of Arsenal’s penalty area.
46th minute, 1-1: The second half is underway.
Halftime, 1-1: That’s the end of the first half. It’s tied at one goal apiece.
Liverpool can be proud of how well it played in the first half but also must be bitterly disappointed at its failure to take the lead into the break. Coutinho scored an excellent goal. Debuchy canceled it out less than two minutes later. Liverpool must continue to dominate possession in the second half and territory without losing focus at key moments, as it did moments before halftime.
[tweet https://twitter.com/WayneRooney/status/546708771628908545Â align=’center’%5D
[tweet https://twitter.com/premierleague/status/546708851052273664 align=’center’]
45th minute +2, 1-1: Debuchy out-jumps Skrtel and ties it up.
[tweet https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/546714514079879169Â align=’center’%5D
Sanchez floated a free kick into Liverpool’s penalty area. Liverpool failed to clear it, and Flamini sent another header into the goal-mouth, where Debuchy headed it home.
[tweet https://twitter.com/soccergods/status/546712098219515904Â align=’center’%5D
[tweet https://twitter.com/OptaJoe/status/546709198575534080 align=’center’]
45th minute, 1-0 Liverpool: Coutinho scores, and the Reds have the lead they deserve.
[tweet https://twitter.com/LFC/status/546711830329311232Â align=’center’%5D
Giroud’s misplaced pass reached Henderson, who turned and passed to Coutinho at the top of the Arsenal penalty area. Coutinho dribbled around Flamini and beat Szczesny with a low shot to the inside of the far post.
[tweet https://twitter.com/FootyLiveVines/status/546708095284813824 align=’center’]
It’s Coutinho’s second goal this season.
45th minute, 0-0: There will be a minimum of one minute of added time in the first half.
[tweet https://twitter.com/liviubird/status/546706955864387584 align=’center’]
38th minute, 0-0: Sterling surges forward and lays a pass to Markovic, who disappointingly shoots over Szczesny’s goal.
37th minute, 0-0: Jones senses danger, leaves his line and clears the ball before Giroud can catch up to it.
35th minute, 0-0: Markovic slips past Chambers on the left side of Arsenal’s penalty area, but the alert Szczesny makes a sliding save, and it goes out for a corner kick.
[tweet https://twitter.com/br_uk/status/546706662816751616 align=’center’]
29th minute, 0-0: Coutinho hits a low drive from 25 yards out, but Szczesny collects it with no problem.
28th minute, 0-0:Â The Reds still are controlling the game with their sharp passing and natural width, but Arsenal’s capable defending is preventing Liverpool from carrying play deep into its half.
[tweet https://twitter.com/LFC/status/546700937830879234 align=’center’]
[tweet https://twitter.com/Squawka/status/546704635659321346 align=’center’]
22nd minute, 0-0: Jones gathers Giroud’s tame header. Arsenal has its first spell of possession in Liverpool’s half and finally tests Jones.
19th minute, 0-0: Lallana’s shot takes a deflection and goes out for a corner.
18th minute, 0-0: Liverpool has had the vast majority of possession, and much of the game has been played in Arsenal’s half so far. But the Reds only have created a pair of scoring chances and don’t have any goals to show for their early dominance.
[tweet https://twitter.com/premierleague/status/546701182505590784Â align=’center’%5D
14th minute 0-0: Flamini is cautioned for a clumsy tackle on Coutinho.
12th minute, 0-0: Markovic slips a pass to Lallana, who turns and shoots a few feet over the Arsenal goal from 15 yards out.
Seventh minute, 0-0: There has been plenty of back-and-forth action in the opening stages. The teams are playing at a high-tempo as they seek to gain an early advantage in the contest.
Third minute, 0-0: Gerrard misses the target with a powerful, curling free kick.
Second minute, 0-0: Mertesacker brings down Coutinho in a dangerous central position — just 25 yards from Arsenal’s goal.
Kickoff: The Premier League game between Liverpool and Arsenal is underway at Anfield.
[tweet https://twitter.com/LFC/status/546700437974298624Â align=’center’%5D
Pregame: Rodgers makes one change to the team that overpowered Bournemouth on Wednesday, as Sakho replaces the injured Dejan Lovren in the starting lineup. Sakho starts for the first time since Sept. 20 when Liverpool lost to West Ham.
Wing-backs Markovic and Henderson will flank Sakho, Toure (who faces his former club) and Skrtel. Lucas and Gerrard will play ahead of them as central defenders. Markovic and Henderson can participate in the attack, but they also must be vigilant about tracking back, as Welbeck and Sanchez can run into the spaces they leave behind.
Sterling, who won the European Golden Boy Award on Saturday, will lead the front line. Coutinho and Lallana will join him in the attack.
10:45 a.m.: Here are the lineups:
LIVERPOOL
Brad Jones (1), goalkeeper
Kolo Toure (4), center back
Martin Skrtel (37), center back
Mamadou Sakho (17), center back
Lucas Leiva (21), midfielder
Steven Gerrard (8), midfielder
Jordan Henderson (14), midfielder
Lazar Markovic (50), midfielder
Philippe Coutinho (10), forward
Adam Lallana (20), forward
Raheem Sterling (31), forward
Substitutes
Simon Mignolet (22), goalkeeper
Jose Enrique (3), defender
Alberto Moreno (18), defender
Javier Manquillo (19), defender
Emre Can (23), midfielder
Fabio Borini (29), forward
Rickie Lambert (9), striker
[tweet https://twitter.com/LFC/status/546681339760893952 align=’center’]
ARSENAL
Wojciech Szczesny (1), goalkeeper
Kieran Gibbs (3), left back
Per Mertesacker (4), center back
Mathieu Debuchy (2), center back
Calum Chambers (21), right back
Mathieu Flamini (20), midfielder
Santi Cazorla (19), midfielder
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (15), midfielder
Alexis Sanchez (17), forward
Danny Welbeck (23), forward
Olivier Giroud (12), striker
Substitutes
Emiliano Martinez (26), goalkeeper
Nacho Monreal (18), defender
Francis Coquelin (34), midfielder
Ainsley Maitland-Niles (70), forward
Theo Walcott (14), forward
Koel Campbell (28), forward
Lukas Podolski (9), forward
10:30 a.m. ET: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is trying something new in an effort to improve his team’s results and performances.
Rodgers has employed a 3-4-3 system in the Reds’ last two games, which has made their attack more potent but leaves space at the back for their opponents to potentially exploit. Liverpool faces Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday at Anfield, and the Gunners will pose a stiff test to Rodgers and the new-look Reds.
Arsenal is one of the Premier League’s most dangerous attacking teams, as Olivier Giroud, Danny Welbeck and one-time Liverpool target Alexis Sanchez each can score and create goals with great frequency. Liverpool must defend as a unit and limit individual mistakes in order to repel the Gunners’ threat.
Liverpool and Arsenal both started the 2014-15 Premier League season slowly. Liverpool currently sits 11th in the standings with 21 points after 16 games. Arsenal is seventh with 26 points from as many games. Liverpool and Arsenal both are chasing a top-four finish, and Sunday’s game could be pivotal in the teams’ respective campaigns.
Liverpool-Arsenal kicks off at 11 a.m. Join us right here for all the action from Anfield.
[tweet https://twitter.com/LFC/status/546665477884620800Â align=’center’%5D
Thumbnail photo by LiverpoolFC.com
