Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal LIVE: Gunners off to a flyer at Anfield as Brazilian stars Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus put them two up inside 30 minutes… before Mo Salah pulls one back for Reds
Follow Sportsmail’s live blog for the Premier League clash between Liverpool and Arsenal.
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Liverpool were second-best for long periods in that half but they have been given a fighting chance by Salah’s goal just before the break.
Martinelli and Jesus were exceptional in that first half. Both men took their goals well to put Arsenal in complete control inside the opening half hour.
Well what a half that turned out to be!
Arsenal dominated for the most part, but Liverpool are right back in this.
Some Liverpool players are furious as the referee blows up for half time. Not sure what that was all about, but the referee appeared to book someone after he blew for half time.
This is a completely different game now.
Alexander-Arnold whips a cross to the back post that Jota plays back across goal.
Ramsdale parries it out and Henderson comes racing in to get a shot off, but he can’t keep his effort down.
Jesus – who has been outstanding – takes a blow to the back and stays down.
The temperature has certainly been raised in the last five minutes, but Jesus is now back to his feet and will be fine to play on.
This was one-way traffic for 40 minutes, but the crowd are right into this now.
Every tackle is being cheered, Arsenal will want half time now.
Did that incident with Xhaka just spark Liverpool into life?
Jones works the ball well to Jota who cuts the ball back to Henderson. The midfielder pokes the ball towards goal and Salah is there at the back post to tap home from close range.
Game on!
Arsenal are in cruise control but Xhaka has to be careful not to throw away their good work.
He gets involved with Alexander-Arnold and the pair push each other. His teammates arrive on the scenes to calm things down.
Both players go into the book.
Another Liverpool chance goes begging, another Arsenal player goes down.
This time it’s Gabriel who sits on the ground, but after a brief pause he is back up and the game goes on.
Holding gives the ball away sloppily and Henderson plays Salah in behind.
It’s a tight angle but the winger should do better. Instead, he seems to get his feet in a tangle and pokes the ball well wide.
Jesus is giving van Dijk the run around. He breezes past the Dutchman by the touchline and the defender completely takes him out. No option but to give a yellow card for that.
Arsenal could hardly have dreamed of a better start to this game.
They are dominating Liverpool and there is frustration all around Anfield at the moment.
Just as Liverpool had started to play a little better, Arsenal make it two!
Again, Liverpool’s defending leaves a lot to be desired. Martinelli runs off Alexander-Arnold and has time to pick out a cross. Jesus peels away from van Dijk and finds the bottom corner with his header.
The first signs that Liverpool are starting to get a bit of a foothold in this game.
Alexander-Arnold strides forward and puts in a dangerous cross but Holding does well to clear the danger.
Arsenal still looking dangerous on the counter, though, and Alisson has to be alert to sweep up a ball over the top.
White gives the ball away cheaply inside the Liverpool half and tries to atone for his mistake.
He looks to get a bit of the ball, but also clatters Robertson with the follow-through and he is the first player to go into the book.
Ramsdale went down after that Robertson chance.
Was there actually anything wrong with him? Perhaps, but Arsenal’s players were certainly very quick to race over to Arteta for a tactical chat!
Anyway, Ramsdale is back up and we are back underway.
Liverpool have offered nothing in this opening 20 minutes but they have a great chance to equalise out of nowhere.
It’s a simple clipped ball over the top and Robertson is in. He makes good contact with his shot, but it just goes a yard or two past the post.
Arsenal could have doubled their lead here.
Saka gets the ball in an acre of space and puts a cross into the back post. Jesus comes flying in but he’s on the stretch and his effort goes over the bar.
All the noise is coming from the Arsenal fans at the moment, and their team are certainly enjoying themselves right now.
They are first to every loose ball, and Liverpool can’t get anything going yet.
Arsenal have their tails up after that goal.
Martinelli is causing problems again as he drifts inside and lays the ball back to Zinchenko. It’s a decent hit but Alisson gets down well to tip the ball behind. Saka’s corner comes to nothing.
Arsenal take the lead!
This was far too simple for the Gunners. Robertson slips and Saka races forward before finding Odegaard. His pass is deflected into Martinelli’s path, and the Brazilian pokes the ball into the bottom corner beyond Alisson.
Liverpool work the ball out to Gakpo and he gets half a yard on White before trying to find the far corner.
He leans back, though, and his shot fails to trouble Ramsdale.
Liverpool look to have made a tactical tweak already with Alexander-Arnold taking up a role in midfield.
We’ve seen John Stones and Zinchenko excel in that position. Can he also shine more centrally?
Arsenal win an early free-kick and Martinelli eases past Alexander-Arnold, before his cross his cleared away.
Xhaka fires the ball back in but it’s blocked behind for a corner which is cleared away.
Arsenal get us underway…
The players and fans observe a minute’s silence 34 years on from the Hillsborough disaster.
Henderson and Odegaard lead their sides out, and we are just moments away from kick-off at Anfield.
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Jones; Salah, Gakpo, Jota
Arsenal: Ramsdale; White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard; Saka, Martinelli, Jesus
Kick-off is just 10 minutes away.
Arsenal have won their last seven league games but Mikel Arteta knows they cannot allow complacency to kick in.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he’s insisted his team must find their best form to get the better of Liverpool.
Both teams are just finishing off their respective warm-ups ahead of this afternoon’s mouthwatering clash.
Despite their struggles this season, Liverpool have only lost once in the league at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp fully expects the home crowd to get behind his team once more this afternoon, but speaking ahead of the game to Sky Sports he’s admitted the Reds must give their supporters something to cheer about from the off.
In what promises to be a crucial match in Arsenal’s title charge, Jamie Carragher has urged Mikel Arteta not to get involved with the home crowd if the Gunners are to come out on top this afternoon.
Having Thiago back available, albeit from the bench, is a boost for Liverpool, with the midfielder having been out of action for almost two months.
The Arsenal shirts in the dressing room at Anfield.
This could also be a big game for Curtis Jones, with the Liverpool midfielder aiming to show what he is capable of.
Rob Holding has done well in Arsenal’s last two league games and the centre-back will be looking to impress again as he looks to keep Liverpool’s attackers quiet.
For Liverpool, Van Dijk is in for Matip, while Curtis Jones keeps his place in midfield. In attack Salah and Gakpo start with Firmino and Nunez on the bench. Thiago is also amongst the substitutes after recovering from injury.
Saliba is still out for Arsenal, with Saka replacing Trossard in the only change.
⚫️ 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 ⚡️️
🧱 White at the back
🔙 Saka returns
💪 Jesus in attack
Let’s do this – together! pic.twitter.com/n7mlX1qjQC
The Reds to take on Arsenal 👊#LIVARS
Thiago arrived with the Liverpool squad.
Virgil Van Dijk is set to be available for Liverpool after illness and Thiago Alcantara could return but Luis Diaz is unlikely to feature.
Having won seven league games in a row, Arsenal will be eager to pick up another three points today. Bukayo Saka seems set to return to the starting lineup after illness, but it remains to be seen whether William Saliba, who has missed the last two league games, will be fit.
There is inevitably much focus on Arsenal going into this game, but it is an important fixture for Liverpool as well as Jurgen Klopp’s side look to respond following four games without a win in all competitions.
After Manchester City’s 4-1 victory over Southampton yesterday, Arsenal will be determined to restore their eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
However, the Gunners haven’t won in the league at Anfield since 2012.
Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of Liverpool v Arsenal. We’ll bring you all the build up and live action from the huge clash at Anfield.
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