Arsenal – Liverpool

1. Hi, welcome to ESPN Soccernet's coverage of Liverpool's trip to Highbury for this much-anticipated Premiership clash.

2. 1'

   Arsenal kick off on a cold, dry afternoon in north London.

3. 2'

   Adebayor is caught off-side as he tries to get on the end of Hleb's through-ball from the left wing.

4. 3'

   Henry plays a nice one-two on the edge of the area, though his side-foot shot on goal is tame and easily claimed by Reina.

5. 4'

   Although meaningless in regards to the title, this is a big game for both sides; Arsenal desperately need to keep the pressure on Tottenham for the final Champions League spot, and Liverpool are still chasing second place.

6. 5'

   Liverpool are playing with just Crrouch up front, with Gerrard and Garcia supporting him as often as possible.

7. 6'

   Eboue combines well with Hleb down the right, but the full-back's low cross in to the middle is cleared by Carragher.

8. 7'

   WHAT A MISS! Henry sprints past Hyypia and gets to the by-line; he cuts the ball back to Adebayor, but he fires the ball over the bar from six yards out.

9. 8'

   WIDE! Hleb collects a half-cleared corner on the edge of the box; he cuts on to his left foot, but drags his shot wide of the post.

10. 9'

    Ljungberg seems to have picked up an early injury; Pires is warming up on the sidelines, but Ljungberg has signalled to the bench to give him five minutes or so to see how he gets on.

11. 10'

    Adebayor is having a bit of a nightmare early on; a couple of times he has given the ball away in promising positions to halt good Arsenal attacks.

12. 11'

    Arsenal have had the better of the opening stages here; they look to be playing with real confidence after their impressive Champions League display in midweek.

13. 12'

    Ljungberg has just gone over to the Arsenal bench and signalled that he can't carry on; Pires is sent out to warm-up once more.

14. 13'

    Crouch wins a header on the edge of the penalty area, but he has no-one up in support and Flamini helps the ball back to his goalkeeper.

15. 13'

    ARSENAL SUB: Pires replaces Ljungberg, who goes off with a slight injury. Pires will come in as a direct replacement on the left wing.

16. 15'

    Finnan sends over a high cross towards Crouch, but the lanky striker fouls Lehmann as they challenge for the ball.

17. 16'

    Garcia fouls Hleb. Free-kick to Arsenal, in the right channel. Henry chips the ball in to the middle, and Finnan is forced to head the ball out for a corner.

18. 17'

    Crouch deals with the threat from the corner.

19. 18'

    Flamini clears Warnock's cross in to the middle, and Arsenal break. Hleb breaks down the right, but Warnock cuts it out in the area.

20. 19'

    Fabregas tries to feed a ball over the top for Adebayor to chase, but Hyypia sees the danger and heads clear.

21. 19'

    Crouch's header causes a little concern in the Arsenal area, but Toure keeps his cool and clears for a throw.

22. 20'

    GOAL! Fabregas plays a sensational pass down the left channel for Henry to chase. Carragher can't cut out the pass, Henry collects and curls a great shot in to the far corner.

23. 21'

    It really was a great goal from Arsenal, and a typical finish from the great French striker; he was cutting in from the left channel, and curled a right-foot shot in to the top corner.

24. 22'

    The home side probably deserve to be in front after making a good start to this game; how will Liverpool respond, given their lack of confidence up front?

25. 23'

    Henry plays a nice one-two on the edge of the penalty area, but his right-foot shot is weak and dribbles well wide of the post.

26. 24'

    Arsenal are beginning to play with a real swagger now; everyone wants the ball, and there is plenty of movement in front of the man in possession. This could be a long afternoon for the visitors.

27. 25'

    Liverpool haven't had a single shot on goal so far, from what I rememeber; this is a real test for them.

28. 26'

    Fabregas is having a really good game in the middle of Arsenal's midfield; Liverpool are affording him far too much space and he is picking his passes with ease.

29. 27'

    Liverpool have scored just one goal in their last four matches, and that was by Kewell, who isn't playing this afternoon. And it is over two months since they scored more than one goal in a game.

30. 27'

    Gilberto brings down Alonso, 35 yards out, dead centre. Gerrard stands over the ball...

31. 28'

    ...The Liverpool chips a cross in to the middle, but Toure heads clear.

32. 29'

    CROUCH! Finnan sends over a great cross from the right. Crouch is unmarked, six yards out, but contrives to head well wide. Terrible effort from the England striker.

33. 30'

    That was a warning for Arsenal; they might be dominant here, but they can't afford to relax. But Crouch really should have equalised with that header; it was a shocking effort.

34. 31'

    Gerrard wastes a cross from the right, prompting ironic cheers from the Gunners' fans.

35. 32'

    GREAT CHANCE! Adebayor plays a great pass in to Eboue inside the penalty area, but instead of shooting, the young full-back tries to pass back to Adebayor. Carragher gets back to clear off the foot of the lanky Arsenal striker.

36. 33'

    Liverpool are getting plenty of players up to support Crouch, but their passing has been poor this afternoon.

37. 34'

    SHOT! Alsono fires in Liverpool's best shot of the afternoon when he fires in a right-foot effort from 30 yards that drifts narrowly wide.

38. 35'

    Finnan fires over another good cross from the right wing. Garci is unmarked at the back post, but his acrobatic scissor-kick flies over the bar.

39. 36'

    Liverpool are gradually starting to increase their goal threat, but Arsenal still look quite comfortable.

40. 37'

    The visitors just seem to lack invention when they get in the final third. All their threats seem to have come from crosses from the right this afternoon.

41. 38'

    TACKLE! Toure flies in to a challenge with Warnock, but ends up hurting himself as the Liverpool man catches him on the thigh. Good, committed defending.

42. 39'

    Toure is still down receiving treatment on a leg injury, though the referee seems to be waiting close by ready to dole out some sort of punishment. It would be harsh if he was booked for what looked like a good challenge.

43. 40'

    Toure limps off, and referee Bennett decides not to take any action against the defender. The correct decision; it was a good challenge from both players.

44. 41'

    Toure limps back on to the field, to wild roars from the Arsenal fans; he is a real favourite here.

45. 42'

    Alsono sends a good pass out to the right wing to Finnan to set up a Liverpool attack, but Arsenal are back in numbers to defend.

46. 43'

    Warnock brings down Adebayor on the right wing. No booking, although the referee is unlikely to be as linient on the young left-back in future challenges.

47. 44'

    Henry sends over another free-kick from the right, but this time it is too close to Reina, who collects easily.

48. 45'

    Gerrard fires in another shot from distance; Lehmann is forced to scramble across his goal, but the ball flies a yard wide of the post.

49. 46'

    HALF-TIME: Arsenal in front at half-time thanks to Henry's strike. Liverpool started to come back in to the game as the half went on, but still look to lack invention up front.

50. 45'

    LIVERPOOL SUB: Kewell replaces Kromkamp. An attacking change from Benitez as his side go in search of an equaliser.

51. 46'

    Liverpool get the second half underway.

52. 47'

    With United winning this afternoon, Liverpool will be desperate for some sort of result this afternoon to keep pace in the race for the second automatic Champions League spot.

53. 48'

    Kewell's first touch is a good one as he feeds a pass in towards the run of Garcia, but the little Spaniard goes down under a challenge from Senderos. No free-kick.

54. 49'

    Arsenal break very quickly through Adebayor. He plays the ball back to Henry, but he is quickly faced by three Liverpool defenders and the chance passes.

55. 50'

    Liverpool have really looked out of sorts this afternoon; they haven't played with any fluidity or confidence going forward.

56. 50'

    WIDE! A flowing Arsenal move ends with Pires feeding Henry, but the club's leading scorer bends his shot wide of the far post with only Reina to beat.

57. 51'

    That was a great chance for Arsenal to extend their lead and really put this game out of sight, and it was unlike Henry not to get his shot on target.

58. 52'

    Eboue does well to hold off Kewell as he tries to shepherd the ball out of play. The young Arsenal full-back isn't happy with the attentions of the Australian international, and lets him know as they trot back to the halfway line.

59. 53'

    Pires feeds Flamini down the left, but his cut-back from the by-line is easily taken by Reina. Arsenal are starting to play with the same confidence as they were at the start of the first half.

60. 54'

    Ljungberg is spotted on the Arsenal bench sporting an enormous wooly white hat to keep himself warm on this chilly afternoon.

61. 54'

    CHANCE! Hleb feeds Henry, who sprints through the heart of the Liverpool defence. Again, he is one-on-one with the keeper, but this time his shot is easily saved by Reina.

62. 55'

    Arsenal should be out of sight of Liverpool by now; they have had two great chances to extend their lead in this second half, but Liverpool remain only a goal down.

63. 56'

    Henry seems to be limping a little after a strong challenge by Carragher during his one-on-one a couple of minutes ago.

64. 57'

    The home side are all over Liverpool at the moment; the visitors are struggling to keep out the floods of Arsenal attacks.

65. 58'

    Fabregas has picked up where he left off in the first half; he is completely dominating the game with his skill and passing in the middle.

66. 59'

    Garcia and Gerrard get in each other's way as they try to get on a loose ball in midfield.

67. 59'

    For as well as Arsenal are playing, they know that only one mistake and Liverpool could be back on level terms; they really need the cushion of that second goal.

68. 60'

    Gerrard seems to have shifted over to the right-hand side following Kewell's introduction, with Garcia being asked to support Crouch from the middle.

69. 61'

    Garcia goes down under a strong challenge from Fabregas. He gets to his feet a little gingerly.

70. 62'

    Fowler is spotted warming up on the sidelines; I don't think it is long before he will come on, probably to replace Hamann.

71. 63'

    Hamann makes a superb challenge on Eboue as the full-back made a lung-bursting run in to the penalty area. The Arsenal players claim a penalty, but the referee says corner.

72. 64'

    There are some strong challenges coming in in the midfield now; Liverpool seem determined to put themselves about and try to unsettle the Arsenal players.

73. 65'

    Garcia and Crouch swap passes on the edge of the area, but Senderos makes an important challenge as the Spanish midfielder was about to get his shot away.

74. 66'

    Still no sign of a change from Liverpool, although there is some movement on the Arsenal bench.

75. 67'

    Crouch has time to bring down Kewell's deep cross from the right, but Senderos eventually gets across to put a tackle in.

76. 68'

    ARSENAL SUB: Adebayor is replaced by Bergkamp. Wenger decides to try and close out the game with the skill and vision of his Dutch master.

77. 69'

    Carragher sends a deep ball in to Crouch, but Lehmann comes to the edge of his penalty area to claim.

78. 70'

    OVER! Hleb gets down the right and plays a ball across to Bergkamp, but his first-time shot flies high over the crossbar.

79. 71'

    Liverpool break through Garcia, but his attempted cross to Crouch is quite dreadful; throw-in to the home side.

80. 72'

    Henry and Pires keep the ball between themselves for a minute before Hyypia is tempted in to foul the winger.

81. 73'

    Fowler is seen taking comprehensive instructions from his manager; he looks a little bemused as Benitez runs through a seemingly endless list of instructions in a lengthy briefing.

82. 74'

    LIVERPOOL SUB: Fowler replaces Hamann. An attacking change from Benitez as he brings on the Liverpool legend to try and grab an equaliser.

83. 75'

    Bergkamp plays Pires in down the right channel, only for the linesman to wrongly flag for off-side.

84. 75'

    GOAL! Gerrard finds some space in the middle, and powers in a ferocious shot. Lehmann saves, but Garcia leaps high to head home the rebound from six yards out.

85. 76'

    An unlikely equaliser for the visitors as Garcia benefits from Gerrard's powerful shot from 25 yards out. Lehmann will be disappointed he didn't get more distance on his punched-save.

86. 77'

    Alonso is booked for a late challenge on fellow Spaniard Fabregas. The challenge angered several Arsenal players, and the referee has a job calming the situation down.

87. 78'

    The Liverpool fans are delighted that their side are set to take an unlikely point from this match. Arsenal should have had this game sewn up after half-time.

88. 79'

    Fowler gets in his first shot on goal, but it dribbles harmlessly wide. He is still searching for his first goal in his second spell at the club.

89. 80'

    GARCIA! Kewell sends over a cross from the left, which Garcia meets with a volley, but the pace is taken off the ball by Flamini's deflection and Lehmann saves gratefully.

90. 81'

    Benitez is very animated on the sidelines; Wenger, on the otherhand, is still angry about a free-kick decision that didn't go Arsenal's way in the build-up to the Liverpool equaliser.

91. 82'

    OFF! Alonso is sent off for a second yellow card; he seemed to slip as he went in to a challenge with Fabregas and took the legs of the young Arsenal midfielder.

92. 83'

    Alonso protested long and hard about the decision, and he was probably right; there was no way he meant to foul Fabregas, he just seemed to slip.

93. 84'

    GOAL! A horrible mistake from Gerrard as he tries to play a pass back to Reina, but finds only Henry, who rounds the keeper and slots in to an empty net.

94. 85'

    It was a horrendous mistake from the Liverpool skipper, and has probably cost his side a point. He played the ball back blind, and Henry was left with an easy task.

95. 86'

    Gerrard looks devastated with his mistake.

96. 88'

    POST! Fabregas plays a quite stunning pass in to the path of Henry, who squares it to Pires, but the substitute places his shot against the post with the goal gaping.

97. 89'

    Garcia is booked for a frustrated hack at Henry as the Arsenal skipper tried to play down time near the corner flag.

98. 90'

    Fabregas wins a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area with a neat flick. Henry steps up, eying his hat-trick...

99. 91'

    SAVE! Henry curls the free-kick in to the near post, but Reina denies him his hat-trick with a diving save.

100. 92'

     More Fabregas skill earns another Arsenal free-kick, deep in the Liverpool half. He has been my man-of-the-match, despite Henry's brace.

101. 93'

     FULL-TIME: Arsenal deserved the three points, but had to rely on a shocking mistake from Gerrard to net a late winner after missing a hat-full of second-half chances.

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