Arsenal – Liverpool

1. Good afternoon one and all and welcome to a do or die game for Arsenal against league leaders Liverpool. It is generally agreed if the Gunners fail to win this one their title dreams are up the swanny.

2. Team news. Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Djourou, Gallas, Clichy, Denilson, Fabregas, Song Billong, Nasri, Adebayor and Van Persie. Subs from: Fabianski, Diaby, Vela, Ramsey, Silvestre, Wilshere and Eboue.

3. Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Insua, Kuyt, Leiva Lucas, Alonso, Riera, Gerrard and Keane. Subs from: Cavalieri, Hyypia, Benayoun, Babel, Ngog, Plessis and El Zhar.

4. So, Robbie Keane (remember him?) gets a rare start for Liverpool, while Wenger goes with Adebayor and van Persie up front. The one person who is absent is Rafa Benitez though, he is still recovering from kidney stones so Sammy Lee will do the honours on the bench.

5. 1'

   Right, here we go. A telling 90 minutes in prospect...

6. 2'

   Both sides have already beaten Chelsea AND Manchester United of course. Who will conquer in the battle of the conquerors?

7. 3'

   Gerrard piles in on Sagna in very committed fashion. Looked a little ungainly but no action taken by ref Howard Webb.

8. 4'

   A little nudge from Lucas on Denilson - free kick to Arsenal but Reina comes to claim it.

9. 5'

   Some slick passing from Liverpool in and around the Arsenal box but the Gunners hold firm as Sagna turns it back to Almunia.

10. 6'

    Sagna cuts inside Lucas but his ball for Denilson is poor. Mostly Arsenal in possession to date...

11. 7'

    Lucas is having a very nervy start, he dawdled on the ball there but was lucky to get a free-kick for Adebayor's challenge.

12. 8'

    Strange one that, Sagna hits the byline its deflected but the linesman gives a goal kick when it was clearly a corner. Adebayor challenged Reina and won the header but the whistle had gone.

13. 9'

    Reiera tries to burst down the left but Gallas is across.

14. 10'

    Agger hit it long for Keane who was yards ahead of the Arsenal backline, and not offside, but as the ball didn't have the pace to take him through he laid off for Gerrard whose shot was right at Almunia.

15. 11'

    First decent chance that. How Keane stole into that much space I don't know. Oh, I do now having seen the replay, it was Clichy who was miles behind his centre-backs and playing Keane on.

16. 12'

    Now Arsenal break and Nasri feeds Adebayor in the area but Agger manages to boot it off the striker and behind for a goal kick.

17. 13'

    Wasteful from Gael Clichy, he shanks his cross behind.

18. 14'

    Great break from Arsenal as Sagna pours down the right, his cross finds Adebayor but his flick lacks the pace to trouble Renia, who saves comfortably.

19. 15'

    Lucas tries to play in Riera down the left but Almunia is alive to the situation and charges out to clear.

20. 16'

    Arsenal buoyed by those couple of breaks. The game is starting to open up.

21. 17'

    Adebayor now jinks past Arbeloa, then Agger concedes a corner.

22. 18'

    Lucas picks out Stevie G over the top but his ball was poor and too near the corner flag. If he'd stuck it narrow and in front of Gerrard he was clean through.

23. 19'

    Keane is booked for a nasty tackle on CLichy. It looked worse than it was but it doesn't stop Arsenal's fans giving the ex-Spurs player a bucket load of jip.

24. 20'

    Clichy hobbles off and the Gooners sing "What a waste of money," at Keano.

25. 21'

    Clichy is back on, gingerly.

26. 22'

    Silvestre is warming up as Clichy continues to hobble. He managed to tackle Gerrard there though.

27. 23'

    Lucas nudges Adebayor and Webb gives a soft free kick.

28. 24'

    GOAL! Van Persie!

29. 24'

    Smashing finsh from Chelsea's destroyer. A long ball from Nasri, a superb piece of control, a twist then a great right-footed shot into the corner. Cracking!

30. 25'

    Exactly what the game needed. Now Liverpool will have to come out a little more. Game on!

31. 26'

    Liverpool try a long ball of their own and Riera manages to square it but Djourou hacks clear.

32. 27'

    Tribute too to Nasri for a raking long ball for the goal. How Liverpool allowed van Persie to bring it down, turn and score will make those kidney stones pass a little slower I reckon.

33. 29'

    Good quick, passing move from Arsenal but Sagna's cross was poor, allowing Carragher to clear.

34. 30'

    Its still 1-1 at St James Park by the way between Newcastle and Spurs.

35. 32'

    Gerrard throws himself to the deck and wins a free-kick, about 35 yards out.

36. 33'

    Decent strike from Gerrard but Almunia had plenty of time to see it and catches.

37. 34'

    Clumsy play from Denilson as he fails to find Sagna then bumps into Riera and gives away a free kick.

38. 35'

    Now van Persie gives away a free kick. Its all gone slightly bitty.

39. 36'

    Apparently Rafa is in constant contact via phone with Liverpool's goalkeeping coach, who then passes the messages on to the Liverpool bench.

40. 37'

    I'm afraid Dirk Kuyt's golden form of late seems to have deserted him. He's finding Arsenal players on a regular basis with his passes.

41. 38'

    Adebayor is booked for a tackle on Arbeloa, I think. Not particularly nasty I thought.

42. 39'

    Gerrard gets another sight of goal but blasts it way, way over.

43. 40'

    Van Persie swings in a free-kick and Kuyt clears, via Lucas.

44. 42'

    GOAL! KEANE!

45. 42'

    What a finish! A ball over the top, Djourou stands and watches and Keane catches it on the half volley and fires it into the roof of the net.

46. 43'

    Well, it didn't look like coming but it has, and Benitez will surely have to take note of that strike from Keano. A great finish.

47. 44'

    Chance! Kuyt robs Clichy and squares for Gerrard but the skipper can't get a good enough touch on it to turn the ball home.

48. 45'

    Ooh Kuyt! I spoke too soon, he fires in a shot and Almunia only just manages to get a palm on it to save.

49. 45'

    Two great tackles to end the half as Fabregas and Carragher charge in as Arsenal break. And that's half time. Well, what a turnaround! Arsenal one up and cruising, then they nod off for Keane's goal and could easily have been 2-1 down. Looks like Fab was hurt by that tackle and he may be a doubt for the second half.

50. 46'

    The big news at the start of the second half is that Fabregas can't continue and Diaby is on.

51. 47'

    Liverpool win an early free-kick off Diaby, Gerrard swings it in and van Persie clears but Lucas smashes in a shot that Almunia does well to parry.

52. 48'

    Big chance here for Liverpool to prosper now with Fabregas off, but will they go for the win?

53. 49'

    Arsenal taking a while to reorganise after Fabregas' departure. Alumnia is out to clear from the onrushing Kuyt.

54. 51'

    Keane plays a sloppy ball for Kuyt and he plays a sloppy one in return when there was a big gap in front of the Irishman. Poor all round.

55. 52'

    Sagna fires in a low ball but Carragher gets rid of it easily.

56. 53'

    Insua gets down the left and swings in a cross. Its neither volley-ing height or head height so Keane bundles it towards goal but Almunia catches.

57. 54'

    Song puts Adebayor in down the left side but Carragher bundles him out of it.

58. 55'

    Kutt wastes a decent chance in the right channel by choosing to shoot rathetr than cross. Corner.

59. 56'

    Alonso takes the corner and Agger meets it but his effort was never going to trouble Almunia.

60. 57'

    By the way, Newcastle scored late to beat Spurs at St James Park. Damien Duff got the winner in the 90th minute. Get in!

61. 58'

    Gerrard slides a pass into Keane from a free-kick rather than swing it in but Keane was offside.

62. 60'

    Agger releases Insua down the left, who needs no encouragement to get forward, but Sagna clears.

63. 61'

    A decent spell of possession for Arsenal but Adebayor ends it with a foul on Arebloa and he gets a second yellow card! What?!

64. 62'

    Well that was absolute pony. Adebayor's foot went over the ball but didn't make contact with Arbeloa, it was his arm that hit the defender's chest, and he went down like he'd been hit by a sniper.

65. 63'

    Arsenal's ten men manage to break but Denilson chooses to shoot from a ridiculous angle rather than cross for van Persie.

66. 64'

    Arsene Wenger is doing his nut on the touchline and I can see why. The shape and angle of his foot looked like it could be dangerous but no contact was made at all with Arbeloa's foot. Can it be a foul if no contact is made?

67. 65'

    As our commentator has pointed out I think Julio Arca's horror tackle on Andy Johnson yesterday was in Webb's mind when he made that decision. But it shouldn't have been. Every game, every tackle is different. Van Persie booked now for a foul on Gerrard.

68. 66'

    Door wide open for Liverpool now then eh?

69. 67'

    That's 75 sendings off over a 12-year period for Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. Great stat attack.

70. 69'

    Chance for Arsenal, Song found himself running at two Liverpool defenders with Diaby in support but tried a clipped ball for Nasri and wasted the chance.

71. 69'

    Webb incenses Arsenal further by denying Nasri a free-kick then booking Sagna seconds later for a lunge on Arbeloa.

72. 70'

    Ryan Babel is on for Riera.

73. 71'

    Carragher is going to get booked now for holding back van Persie.

74. 72'

    Diaby finds van Persie who turns and shoots but a deflection off Carragher helps Reina gather.

75. 73'

    Arsenal have managed to impose themselves more since the sending off than before it. Strange old game innit?

76. 74'

    Gerrard aims some abuse at Webb as he runs at Gallas and falls over. Not much in that TBH.

77. 75'

    A chorus of boos now ring out as Liverpool enjoy some possession. The sending off has at least provoked Arsenal's fans into creating a bit of atmosphere.

78. 76'

    Needless to say, van Persie is now ploughing a lone furrow up front...

79. 77'

    Nasri tries to dribble through, gets forced wide by Carragher then megs him and goes down. No free kick though.

80. 78'

    Liverpool have nine men behind the ball as Arsenal stroke it around. Why oh why oh why?

81. 79'

    Nasri goes on another mazy run ending in a swerving shot. Well wide though.

82. 80'

    Babel whips in a cross but Almunia claims. Then Lucas brings down Diaby and gets a booking.

83. 81'

    Changes. Keane off, El Zahr on. Ebooooooo-ue warming up too.

84. 82'

    Agger fluffs two headers under no pressure and gives away a corner. Go on Arsenal, score!!

85. 83'

    Van Persie's inswinger is deep and although Reina looked far from convincing no-one was there to profit from it for Arsenal.

86. 84'

    El Zahr slides in a ball looking for Kuyt but Almunia comes out and gets just enough on it to clear.

87. 85'

    Why not make a statement of intent Liverpool and go and try and win the game eh? Put yourselves clear at the top? No? Instead you sit back with nine behind the ball against Arsenal's ten men.

88. 86'

    Agger pushes forward and unleashes a superb shot that swings just wide of the upright. Superb effort.

89. 87'

    A poor ball from Diaby gifts possession back to Liverpool, who are bringing Ngog on for the ineffectual Lucas.

90. 88'

    And now, in the 88th minute, Liverpool go 4-4-2.

91. 89'

    Arsenal hump a free-kick long and it goes straight out for a Liverpool goal kick.

92. 90'

    El Zahr nods just wide! Insua crosses, the winger glances a header and it falls just wide of the post!

93. 91'

    Three added minutes....

94. 92'

    Ebooooo-ue is on for Nasri, who has had an excellent game.

95. 92'

    Clichy crosses and van Persie heads but its easy for Reina. Eboo-ue got a big cheer when he came on.

96. 93'

    What a terrible kick from Almunia. Gallas went forward as they won a free-kick but the keeper smashed it out of play near the corner flag.

97. 94'

    That's that! An entertaining game that never really sprang to life. Plenty of action though, and a rather harsh sending off to boot. Liverpool stay top but Chelsea will depose them if they beat Everton. Arsenal remain eight points behind, and it remains an uphill battle for them. Thanks for your company.

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