Giants collide: The Emirates continues to daunt the Reds

With one league win in 15 years, Arsenal’s home is one of Liverpool’s least favourite places

KARACHI: It took an Aaron Ramsey own goal, a Laurent Koscielny substitution in the 14th minute and an Emmanuel Frimpong sending off in the 70th minute for Liverpool to record their first league victory in 11 years at the Gunners’ home ground in August 2011.

This was also the first win for the Reds at the Emirates Stadium since its inauguration in 2006, with the last league win at Arsenal’s home ground coming back in February 2000 at the Highbury.

Since then, the clubs have faced each other in 38 matches in all competitions, with Arsenal having a clear dominance on their own turf — winning 11, drawing seven and losing just twice to Liverpool, one in the 2001 FA Cup and the other in the league in 2011.

With the rivalry between the Gunners and the Reds steeped deep in history, including the 1989 Gunner’s sensational title triumph over the Reds from right under their noses, the encounter on Saturday will surely see tempers flare.

It was Ramsey’s spectacular 20-yard strike that dominated Arsenal’s comfortable 2-0 win at The Emirates last year and with a lot at stake, things may get feisty both on and off the pitch, with players and fans both likely to be at each other’s throats.

For Liverpool, the stakes are arguably ever higher this time around as they are low on confidence, having lost 2-1 to Manchester United and losing ground in the Premier League top-four race, and will look to bounce back. Compounding Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers’ woes will be Steven Gerrard and Martin Skrtel’s absence as both face three-match bans for stamping on United’s players, while Daniel Sturridge will most likely miss out due to a hip injury.

With the last meeting this season ending in a 2-2 stalemate at Anfield, courtesy of a 97^th-minute header from Skrtel, Liverpool would be looking for the three points over the Gunners to get their Champions League qualification back on track, knowing that three points for the Gunners are equally crucial to maintain their hopes of an unlikely late title challenge.

The Gunners will take themselves to 63 points with a win, practically confirming their Champions League spot, as well as putting pressure on Manchester City and Chelsea who sit one and seven points above them respectively.

Liverpool currently lie on 54 points, six behind third-placed Gunners and with United playing a relatively easier side in Aston Villa, the pressure is on the Reds to ensure that the gap does not exceed the current five points.

Keeping in mind the history at The Emirates for the Reds and the form of the two teams, the momentum is with Arsenal, who have won their last six league matches and halved the gap on leaders Chelsea — who player later on Saturday against Stoke City — from 14 points on February 10 to seven.

And while Liverpool may have lost some confidence with their dramatic loss to United, they might come out even stronger as their last loss in the league in December to the same opponent saw them embark on a relentless unbeaten run of 13 games in the league — a feat which, if repeated, could hand them the top-four spot.

 

 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2015.

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