Liverpool Leave It Late To End Arsenal's FA Cup Hopes
08 January, 2024
Liverpool struck late in the second half to secure a 2-0 win over Arsenal and booked their spot in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday evening.
FA Cup
Result: Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool
Date: 07 January 2024
Venue: Emirates Stadium
Gunners coach Mikel Arteta handed starts to Aaron Ramsdale, Jorginho and Reiss Nelson while Jurgen Klopp's side were without Virgil van Djik through illness, as Jarell Quansah got a start.
The Gunners almost broke the deadlock after ten minutes when Martin Odegaard pounced on a loose ball in the box before seeing his powerful shot hit the crossbar. Liverpool, meanwhile, were quite wasteful with the ball in the opening stages of the first half and struggled to carve out any clear-cut openings for Darwin Nunez in the attack.
The woodwork came to Arsenal's rescue before the halftime break as Trent Alexander-Arnold unleashed a powerful strike from distance that cannoned against the crossbar with Ramsdale well-beaten.
The second half was a bit more open but Arsenal should have been ahead on 57 minutes when a well-worked free-kick ended with Kai Havertz picking out Saka, who failed to hit the target at the far post.
Both sides looked to their respective benches after the hour mark, as Liverpool threw on Diogo Jota and Ryan Gravenberch while Arteta introduced Gabriel Martinelli for Nelson.
The deadlock was finally broken with ten minutes to play when Arsenal's Jakub Kiwior nodded the ball into his own net while trying to clear Alexander-Arnold's free-kick.
The Gunners threw everything forward in search of an equaliser and even brought out on Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith-Rowe in the final ten minutes of the second half.
However, the Reds ended any hopes of an Arsenal comeback in second-half stoppage time when Jota turned provider to play in Luis Diaz, who took one touch before rifling the ball into the back of the net.
Source: www.snl24.com