Greetings Gooners, and welcome to another edition of WIITW!

Here’s the two most recent posts:

This week, we go to Liverpool!

The Managers

Arsenal

Arsene Wenger on dealing with want-away players (Coutinho/Barca situation): “It’s always difficult because you want your players to be happy. The players as well have contracts. In general, you want the players to stay with the club when they have contracts. But every situation is different and you have to really know internally what is going on.!

On big teams dropping points: “It’s too early. Tottenham and Chelsea played against each other, Everton got a surprising result at City with a quality game. On our side, I think we dropped points we should not have dropped at all. We had 77% possession and a huge number of goal chances. Overall, it’s too early to come to any conclusion.”

On memories of Anfield: “We’ve had good memories and sometimes bad memories as well. It’s rue that we’ve done well at Anfield in the past and we want to do well again.”

Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp on Arsenal: “They are still an outstandingly strong side. Sanchez is probably back, so that gives this team another boost and that is, of course, an advantage for Arsenal. We know the quality of Arsenal, there is no doubt – they are a good side.”

On this game’s affect on the title race: “In this moment it looks like Man United will be champions without conceding a goal or missing a point, and the rest is already decided! I have no idea, I don’t think it’s important in this moment. If somebody wants to look at a game and think about this, you’re welcome!”

On dealing with Alexis Sanchez: “The problem with Alexis Sanchez is that he’s pretty much involved in each situation, he is not fixed in one position. Wherever he is, he is very dominant. That makes it difficult. If you are too much concentrated on him then, 100%, Mesut Ozil will show up, Giroud, Lacazette, Walcott – oh my God – Welbeck, I don’t want to forget anybody! Then Ramsey shoots from 25 yards or whatever, or Xhaka shoots from 40 yards – that’s all possible!”

Team News

Arsenal

Alexis Sanchez is set to return for Arsenal this Sunday. When asked if the Chilean will start at Liverpool, Wenger said “he has not played for a long time so I will have to decide what I do with him, but he looks ready to play. He has worked very hard.”

The Gunners have a mostly fit squad to choose from and are boosted further by the return of defender Laurent Koscielny. The Frenchman has been suspended since his red card against Everton on the final day of last season.

Liverpool

Philippe Coutinho remains absent for Liverpool this week. The Brazilian is yet to play this season due to a back injury and has also been subject to major transfer speculation this summer.

Emre Can and Trent Alexander-Arnold suffered minor injuries against Hoffenheim in mid-week but both should be available on Sunday. Adam Lallana and Nathaniel Clyne both remain sidelined.

Premier League Head-to-Head

P 50 W 15 D 17 L 18 F 63 A 74

50 15 17 18 63 74 This game comes a little over 25 years to the day since their first meeting in the rebranded Premier League. Arsenal won that first PL clash 2-0 at Anfield.

But it was over nine years before Arsenal tasted victory again at Anfield in the League. In December 2001, the Gunners were 2-1 winners thanks to goals from Thierry Henry and Freddie Ljungberg.

Before that win, Arsenal went eight games without success at Anfield – losing six times and scoring just once!

Liverpool beat Arsenal 4-1 at Anfield in March 2007 but after that, Arsenal went on a six-match (and almost seven year) unbeaten run away to the Reds in the Premier League. There were three wins and three draws in that run.

Unfortunately, September 2012 was the last time Arsenal won at Anfield. We’ve lost two and drawn two since then.

Be prepared for some goals this weekend though – there’s been at least four goals in each of the last four Liverpool/Arsenal matches at Anfield. To add to that, there hasn’t been a 0-0 between them in Liverpool since August 1998!

All told, there’s been 137 goals in 50 Premier League matches between Arsenal and Liverpool. If we get another 4-goal haul on Sunday, this fixture will join the North London Derby as the highest scoring fixture in PL history.

Liverpool won at Anfield back in March, a result that secured them a Premier League double over Arsenal for the first time since the 1999-00 campaign. Arsenal have achieved a PL double over Liverpool just twice – in 2003-04 and 2009-10.

What happened last time?

As mentioned above, Liverpool won their last meeting with Arsenal back in March. The Reds were 3-1 winners on the day and it ended up being a big result in the race for the Champions League.

The build-up was dominated by Wenger’s decision to leave top scorer Alexis Sanchez on the bench, opting to start with Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck up top. After the game, the Frenchman explained that he wanted to play a “more direct” game with “two players strong in the air”. It didn’t quite go to plan though – we were 2-0 down at half-time and Alexis was subbed on after the interval.

The Chilean made a near immediate impact, setting up Welbeck to make it 2-1 just before the hour-mark. But it wasn’t to be enough for Arsenal. We couldn’t find an equaliser and Wijnaldum added a third for Liverpool in stoppage time at the end of the game.

It was a blow to our Top Four hopes at the time. The result meant Liverpool moved above Arsenal in the table, going two points ahead. We still had a game in hand but ended up losing matches to West Brom and Crystal Palace in the weeks following the defeat at Anfield. Our late resurgence wasn’t enough either as Liverpool went on to finish just one point above us and in the last of the coveted Champions League places.

Better late than never

Along with being one of the highest scoring fixtures in Premier League history, Arsenal and Liverpool hold another unique goal-scoring record all to themselves.

This fixture has produced 17 goals after the 90th minute, which is five more than any other tie in the Premier League era.

The majority of these late goals have come at Anfield, including three in our last three trips to Liverpool. While Georginio Wijnaldum’s 91st minute goal didn’t change the result, the previous two late Liverpool goals have cost Arsenal the win on both occasions.

The last time Arsenal scored beyond the 90th minute against Liverpool, it was fairly inconsequential. The goal in question was this strike from Olivier Giroud, which rounded off a 4-1 win at the Emirates in April 2015.

Arsenal have also benefit from late goals at Anfield in recent seasons. On the opening day in 2010, a mistake from Pepe Reina provided Arsenal with a 91st minute leveller. Then, in March 2012, this great Robin Van Persie volley won the game for the Gunners.

In December 2014, there were nine minutes added on at the end of the game due to an injury to Martin Skrtel. Arsenal went in to that lengthy period of stoppage time with a 2-1 lead and things looked even better when Fabio Borini was sent off after 92 minutes. But it wasn’t to be for the Gunners that night as Skrtel himself popped up with a 97th minute header. However, it’s not the latest goal to come in an Arsenal/Liverpool clash… In fact, it’s not even the second latest!

Amazingly, the two goals that have come later than Skrtel’s 97th minute effort came in the same match at the Emirates in April 2011. There were 10 minutes added on after Jamie Carragher clashed heads with team-mate Jon Flanagan. Arsenal, needing a win to stay in the title race, were given their chance when Jay Spearing brought down Cesc Fabregas in the box. Van Persie converted the resulting penalty to give the Gunners the lead in the 98th minute. But this was the heyday of Banter Era Arsenal. This was just a few weeks after that Carling Cup Final defeat to Birmingham. This was the day that Emmanuel Eboue fouled Lucas in the box with over 100 minutes on the clock! Kuyt dispatched a 102nd minute penalty and left our title hopes in tatters.

Now, we can’t go mentioning late winners, or indeed Arsenal at Anfield, without taking a look back on that famous day in May 1989. It was the last day of the season. It was the top two going head-to-head. Arsenal needed to win by two goals to snatch the title from Liverpool, who were looking to secure a League and FA Cup double. Alan Smith had given Arsenal the lead at the beginning of the second half but a 1-0 win may as well have been a loss. Arsenal pressed but couldn’t find a second goal. The time ticked on and the 90 minute mark went by. The Gunners launched a final attack – Lukic to Dixon, Dixon to Smith, Smith through to Thomas… “Thomas! It’s up for grabs now!!” 2-0 Arsenal! A mere 38 seconds were played once the game resumed, before the final whistle confirmed Arsenal as champions. The last game of the season. The last minute of the season. At the home of the team from whom we were looking to snatch the title! It’s no 102nd minute penalty, but it quite simply couldn’t have come any later…

How about some goals?

So, back to the present day-ish… Arsenal rarely fail to score at Anfield. Here’s some of the best over the years:

2015-16 : Liverpool 3-3 Arsenal: The two sides shared six goals in January 2015, with a late Joe Allen goal snatching a point for the hosts. Arsenal had twice come from behind, first through Aaron Ramsey and then again with this Giroud goal. The Frenchman then put Arsenal in front in the second half but, unfortunately, the Gunners couldn’t hang on for the win.

: Liverpool 3-3 Arsenal: The two sides shared six goals in January 2015, with a late Joe Allen goal snatching a point for the hosts. Arsenal had twice come from behind, first through Aaron Ramsey and then again with this Giroud goal. The Frenchman then put Arsenal in front in the second half but, unfortunately, the Gunners couldn’t hang on for the win. 2014-15 : Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal: Martin Skrtel’s late header denies Arsenal all three points in this one. Mathieu Debuchy had made it 1-1 just before the break and Olivier Giroud put Arsenal ahead mid-way through the second half.

: Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal: Martin Skrtel’s late header denies Arsenal all three points in this one. Mathieu Debuchy had made it 1-1 just before the break and Olivier Giroud put Arsenal ahead mid-way through the second half. 2008-09: Liverpool 4-4 Arsenal: A topsy-turvy thriller at Anfield in April 2009. Andrey Arshavin scored all four Arsenal goals, becoming the first opposition player to score four League goals at Liverpool in over 60 years! The Gunners led three times in this one, really should have won it.

Liverpool 4-4 Arsenal: A topsy-turvy thriller at Anfield in April 2009. Andrey Arshavin scored all four Arsenal goals, becoming the first opposition player to score four League goals at Liverpool in over 60 years! The Gunners led three times in this one, really should have won it. 1992-93 : Liverpool 0-2 Arsenal: The first Premier League clash between them and Arsenal were victorious at Anfield. Limpar and Wright with the goals.

: Liverpool 0-2 Arsenal: The first Premier League clash between them and Arsenal were victorious at Anfield. Limpar and Wright with the goals. 2001-02 : Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal: Thierry Henry and Freddie Ljungberg were on the mark when Arsenal went to Anfield just before Christmas in 2001. It was our first League win at Liverpool in nine years.

: Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal: Thierry Henry and Freddie Ljungberg were on the mark when Arsenal went to Anfield just before Christmas in 2001. It was our first League win at Liverpool in nine years. 2006-07: Liverpool 3-6 Arsenal: Ok, so it’s not a Premier League match but it’s still a classic night at Anfield. The Gunners went to Liverpool in the Carling Cup quarter-final and Julio Baptista provided probably the only lasting memory of his loan spell. The Brazilian scored four times as the fans were treated to a nine-goal thriller. Despite Baptista’s haul, it was his strike partner Jeremie Aliadiere who was arguably our best player on the night. The Frenchman was a constant threat with his endless running in behind the Liverpool defence.

And that’s that…

So it’s Liverpool/Arsenal. It may still be August but don’t underestimate the importance of this match. A decent result here could be a big boost and a great way to bounce back from the defeat at Stoke last week. Yes, that Liverpool attack looks scarily good. And it has been five years since our last win at Anfield… And we’ve won more than one League match in August just once in the last six seasons… But still! We might get something! Kick off is at 4pm (UK time) on Sunday. COYG!

It’s the international break coming up so Arsenal don’t play again until Bournemouth visit the Emirates on the 9th of September.

Thanks for reading!