Arsenal versus Liverpool is a fixture steeped in history and their Monday Night Football meeting promises to be another game to remember...
The 1989 title decider at Anfield, which saw Michael Thomas snatch the crown for Arsenal in injury time, is perhaps the most famous meeting of all but there have been plenty of eventful matches in recent seasons.
Here, we pick out five classics from the Premier League era…
Liverpool 5-1 Arsenal - February 2014
Arsenal arrived at Anfield as Premier League leaders but were blown away in 20 minutes by a Martin Skrtel double and efforts from Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge. Sterling added his second of the match after the break before Mikel Arteta restored some pride for the shell-shocked visitors from the penalty spot.
Arsene Wenger said his side had “a lot of answers to find” after the hammering, which allowed Chelsea to knock them off the top of the table. However, despite exacting revenge with an FA Cup win over Liverpool a week later, Arsenal slipped off the pace and eventually finished fourth, while Brendan Rodgers’ men went on to win their next 10 league games and just missed out on the title.
Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool – August 2011
Liverpool’s only Premier League win at Arsenal in the last 15 years was masterminded by Reds boss Kenny Dalglish as substitutes Luis Suarez and Raul Meireles combined to secure a late victory at the Emirates Stadium. Arsene Wenger, meanwhile, was left bemoaning his team’s luck following the early loss of Laurent Koscielny to injury as well as the sending off of Emmanuel Frimpong with 20 minutes remaining.
Frimpong’s exit turned the game with substitute Ignasi Miquel seeing a clearance deflect off team-mate Aaron Ramsey soon after and loop into the Arsenal net. In the final moments, Suarez applied the finish from a Meireles pass to put the seal on Liverpool’s victory. For Arsenal, it was a worrying result that hinted at what was to come – an 8-2 defeat at Manchester United in their next Premier League outing.
Liverpool 4-4 Arsenal - April 2009
Andrey Arshavin joined Arsenal in January 2009 tipped to do great things. While the Russian’s stay in north London was hardly a roaring success, he showed how destructive he can be in this eight-goal thriller. Despite netting just twice since signing for Wenger’s side, Arshavin bagged all four at Anfield in April 2009.
Fernando Torres responded to his opener before Yossi Benayoun put the Reds ahead but two in three second-half minutes from Arshavin swung the momentum Arsenal’s way. Torres then levelled again before Benayoun cancelled out Arshavin’s own injury-time effort at the death to share the spoils. The result moved Liverpool back to the top of the Premier League but Manchester United overhauled their rivals by winning their two games in hand to take the title and deny Rafael Benitez’s men.
Arsenal 4-2 Liverpool – April 2004
Arsenal were threatening to be the all-conquering team that season – unbeaten in the Premier League and with a chance of an historic treble just a week earlier. But after losing an FA Cup tie to Manchester United, the Gunners then found themselves dumped out of the Champions League by Claudio Ranieri’s Chelsea. So when Liverpool led 2-1 at half-time at Highbury on Good Friday, Arsenal’s season was threatening to implode. Thierry Henry had other ideas.
With the score tied at two-apiece and Henry already on the scoresheet, he put the Gunners ahead with a wonderful solo goal before completing his hat-trick to seal a big three points and regain much-needed momentum for his team. “Thierry Henry's second goal was amazing,” said Wenger. “It doesn't get any worse than losing a Champions League game the way we did, but I felt the way they responded was absolutely magnificent.” A little over a month later, Arsenal beat Leicester to become the Invincibles.
Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal – October 2003
Liverpool had also tested Arsenal at Anfield earlier that season. The Gunners went into the game without the injured Patrick Vieira and were under the cosh from the first whistle. Harry Kewell deservedly put the hosts ahead on 13 minutes before he and Michael Owen spurned chances to double the lead. Liverpool paid for that wastefulness as Arsenal fortuitously got back on level terms when Robert Pires’ free-kick deflected in off Sami Hyypia. The visitors improved after the break and went ahead through a fine Pires effort in the second-half and held on to clinch all three points – and stay on track for an unbeaten season.
With Arsenal’s incredible feat only in its infancy in October 2003, however, headlines focused on a second-half injury to Owen, which ruled him out of England’s final Euro 2004 qualifier in Turkey. Wayne Rooney stepped in for the Liverpool man and helped his country book their spot at the Portugal showpiece the following summer – when Arsenal fans were basking in the glory of the Invincibles’ achievement.