Arsenal vs Liverpool LIVE: Premier League result and final score as Saka wins huge five-goal thriller
Arsenal 3-2 Liverpool: Saka’s late penalty moves Gunners top after visitors had twice equalised
Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League table as Bukayo Saka’s late penalty earned them a vital win over Liverpool, whose struggles continued.
Arsenal made the perfect start as they took the lead after just 58 seconds, with Gabriel Martinelli finishing their first attack following a clever pass from Martin Odegaard.
But Liverpool responded well and were the better side as they found the equaliser through Darwin Nunez, only for Jurgen Klopp’s side to concede on the counter-attack on the stroke of half time as Bukayo Saka finished off a move at the back post.
Roberto Firmino’s excellent finish moved Liverpool level once again but Saka’s late penalty - awarded for a foul on Gabriel Jesus and after some chaotic defending - sealed a huge win as Mikel Arteta’s side hung on for a statement victory at the Emirates.
Reaction from Arsenal vs Liverpool below, with Everton vs Manchester United to follow:
Arsenal vs Liverpool LIVE: Latest updates
Jurgen Klopp explains Liverpool’s unchanged line-up and their 4-2-4 system which the Reds are sticking with at the Emirates this afternoon:
“It’s possible because the time we had during the games. Intensity-wise the boys have recovered. It’s new for us and a slightly different set-up so I thought changes didn’t make sense. We start again with the same team.
“It will work in the same way [as it did against Rangers]. It’s not about the opponent so much. It’s about which areas we want to close defensively and how we cause problems offensively.
“There are not too many differences. It’s bringing in players in form and finding a way for us to create new defensive stability. That’s important. It’s obvious we conceded goals at different times but in similar patterns and we have to stop that.”
Arsenal vs Liverpool LIVE: Latest updates
Jurgen Klopp has dismissed the suggestion that Liverpool’s struggles this season are down to his side reaching its “seven-year glitch”. Klopp’s previous two jobs at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund saw him fail to make it to season eight at either club but the German insists the situation is completely different at Anfield.
“I can understand that I left after seven years (previously) and now we are in a difficult situation and people take that (view) but, if you think twice about it, you realise the situation is completely different.
“Yes, it’s a difficult time; did I think before the season we would be ninth after matchday seven? No, because I don’t think about these things. But this is the basis now, let’s go from here.”
Arsenal vs Liverpool LIVE: Early Premier League results
There have already been two comeback wins in the Premier League this afternoon with Crystal Palace and West Ham both claiming home wins. Patrick Vieira’s side win for just the second time this season after Eberechi Eze’s fine winner sealed a 2-1 victory over Leeds, while Gianluca Scamacca scored again as West Ham also came from behind to beat Fulham 3-1 at the London Stadium.
Arsenal vs Liverpool LIVE: Latest updates
These are exciting times to be an Arsenal fan. The mood around the club is the best it has been in years and Mikel Arteta believes the act of bringing the club together can be more “powerful” than winning trophies.
“It depends what you call success,” Arteta told the Michael Calvin’s Football People podcast. “I mean, if it’s winning titles or it’s bringing our club together. For me, bringing the club together is much more powerful. We have a club that was in a difficult state, with a lot of cracks, a lot of division.
“At the moment, this is a very different club. And that’s an incredible credit that everybody has to take, from the top of the club to every player. Because we did that together.
“The next step, now we have the foundation, is to win. And we are building a team to win, knowing that this era is unprecedented in English football, because nobody has ever had in this league teams that are capable of winning 100 points. And they are doing that for many years now, something that we haven’t done ever in the history of this football club - even in our best times. So that’s the aim and the challenge. So it’s a project, yes.”
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Arsenal vs Liverpool LIVE: Latest updates
Jurgen Klopp brings up his seventh anniversary at Anfield this weekend. It might not be a happy one. Liverpool have made their worst start to a season in his reign and, with Arsenal and Manchester City next, it could get worse. He admits opponents have figured Liverpool out: but not in the last couple of months. Years ago, in fact.
As Richard Jolly writes, opponents have “figured out” Liverpool before, in 2019, in 2021, but can they get themselves out of this particular slump?
Jurgen Klopp not about to abandon Liverpool principles despite tough Arsenal test
Jurgen Klopp rejects the idea that opponents have worked out how to play against – and beat – his Liverpool side, insisting results will come once his team rediscover their high standards
Arsenal vs Liverpool LIVE: Latest updates
Hopefully that team news has added some further anticipation ahead of what looks set to be a brilliant Premier League clash this afternoon.
Arsenal are the team in form and on the up under Mikel Arteta. In some ways, they are beginning to look like Liverpool during their first ascent under Jurgen Klopp.
Preview by Miguel Delaney
Arteta’s Arsenal will resonate with Klopp over early Liverpool struggles
Putting the platform in place for potential success requires buy-in from all and a change in mentality around a club which has previously struggled
Arsenal vs Liverpool LIVE: Team news
Arsenal make one change from last weekend’s 3-1 win over Tottenham with Takehiro Tomiyasu coming in at left back in place of the injured Oleksandr Zinchenko, who misses out. Kieran Tierney is on the bench.
Liverpool are unchanged from Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Rangers in the Champions League, as Jurgen Klopp sticks with his “unpredictable” formation. That means Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz all start.
Arsenal vs Liverpool LIVE: Latest updates
Confirmed line-ups
Arsenal XI: Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu; Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Jesus.
Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Henderson, Thiago; Diaz, Salah, Jota, Nunez
Arsenal vs Liverpool LIVE: Latest updates
It’s a glorious autumn day in London as Arsenal prepare to host Liverpool in the game of the weekend in the Premier League. Team news will be out shortly.
Arsenal vs Liverpool LIVE: Early team news
Jurgen Klopp confirmed ahead of the game that Liverpool have suffered a further midfield injury blow, with Arthur Melo joining Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain among those out of action. In better news for the Liverpool manager, Curtis Jones is moving closer to a return from his own lay-off, while Andy Robertson is also not far away from being back available.
Having switched from his familiar formation for the win over Rangers, and spoken of a need to be more “unpredictable”, Klopp may again consider how best to assemble his deep group of talented forwards.
Predicted line-up
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Firmino, Diaz
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