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Premier League
Aug 27, 2017 at 4pm UK
 
AL

4-0

Firmino (17'), Mane (40'), Salah (57'), Sturridge (77')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Live Commentary: Liverpool 4-0 Arsenal - as it happened

:Headline: Live Commentary: Liverpool 4-0 Arsenal - as it happened: ID:305754: from db_amp
Relive Sports Mole's live coverage of Liverpool's 4-0 victory over Arsenal in the Premier League.

Liverpool have moved into second place in the Premier League table with a 4-0 victory over Arsenal.

Jurgen Klopp's side dominated from start to finish on Merseyside with Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Daniel Sturridge all getting on the scoresheet.

Arsenal failed to register a single shot on target and Arsene Wenger will have questions to field after witnessing his team lose their second successive game on their travels.

Read below to see how the action unfolded at Anfield.

Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the Premier League between Liverpool and Arsenal.
Last weekend, we were treated to a thrilling encounter between two high-level teams as Chelsea got the better of Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium. Today, it is the turn of Liverpool and Arsenal as both clubs look to finish their action for August on a high. What makes this such an enticing game is that it is one of the few Premier League fixtures which feels impossible to call, purely because of the amount of goals which are scored in matches involving the two giants.
LATEST! Before we continue, we are going to point you in the direction of our coverage of Chelsea's Premier League fixture with Everton at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are currently leading 2-0, but there is still 10 minutes or so left in that one. Click here to catch the closing stages in West London.
Anyway, let's crack on with the team news - there's plenty to get through...
LIVERPOOL XI: Karius, Gomez, Matip, Lovren, Moreno, Henderson, Can, Wijnaldum, Mane, Salah, Firmino.
LIVERPOOL SUBSTITUTES: Ward, Klavan, Alexander-Arnold, Grujic, Milner, Solanke, Sturridge
ARSENAL XI: Cech, Hplding, Koscielny, Monreal, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Xhaka, Ramsey, Bellerin, Ozil, Sanchez, Welbeck
ARSENAL SUBSTITUTES: Ospina, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Coquelin, Walcott, Lacazette, Giroud
Right then, where do we start?! The big news coming out of Liverpool is that Simon Mignolet is not involved. There doesn't appear to be any injury so for whatever reason, the Belgian stopper seems to have been dropped. Loris Karius has not played for the Merseyside giants since the FA Cup defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers in January. It's a massive call by Jurgen Klopp. Other interesting changes see Joe Gomez preferred to Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back and Mohamed Salah get the nod over Daniel Sturridge further forward.
As for Arsenal, Arsene Wenger has handed a start to both Laurent Koscielny and Alexis Sanchez after their ban and suspension respectively, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also features, despite reports linking the versatile England international with a switch to Anfield. Alexandre Lacazette has also been dropped, with Danny Welbeck leading the line.
RESULT! The full-time whistle has gone at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea have ran out 2-0 winners over Everton, who were probably feeling the effects of playing a Europa League fixture in Croatia on Thursday. It means that the defending champions have got themselves very much back in the picture towards the top of the standings. Click here to read our on-the-whistle report from West London.
RESULT! The game between West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City has also finished, with the clubs playing out a 1-1 draw at The Hawthorns. It means that the Baggies remain unbeaten from their opening three fixtures. Click here to read our report on that fixture.
What that means for the table is that Liverpool will move into the top four if they can defeat Arsenal this afternoon. A victory for the Gunners would see them place anywhere between fifth and seventh, depending on how the game between Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley pans out at Wembley. Click here to take a look at the standings.
HEAD TO HEAD! Today's meeting represents the 223rd time in which these two clubs have faced each other in a competitive fixture, with Liverpool having 85 wins to their name in comparison to 79 for Arsenal. Liverpool have won the last two meetings between the sides, but neither team has registered three successive triumphs in this fixture since Liverpool won three times between 1997 and 1998.
The corresponding fixture last season took place in March and it saw Liverpool run out 3-1 winners. Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Georginio Wijnaldum all got on the scoresheet, with Danny Welbeck netting for the visitors. Click here to read back on that encounter.
The change in the Liverpool goal speaks for itself, but Joe Gomez being preferred to Trent Alexander-Arnold warrants further discussion. Klopp has spoken in the past about attempting to keep Alexander-Arnold's feet on the ground given the impression he has made at Anfield, and I suppose when you combine that with the need to give Joe Gomez more minutes, it leads to decisions such as this one. That said, it is a big call to give Gomez just his seventh Premier League start against a returning Alexis Sanchez.
Talking of Sanchez, all eyes will be how the Chilean performs on his return to the team. It appears likely that he will remain in North London for the coming season but at a time when his display will inevitably be judged, it should be taken into consideration that the forward is playing his first game since the Confederations Cup, which ended at the start of July. The 28-year-old is capable of a match-winning performance, but supporters or critics should not get too hung up on his outing should he fail to deliver.
PREDICTION! All things considered, we haven't got a clue how this game is going to pan out. We expect Liverpool to be their usual selves, but there is enough weakness in their defence for Arsenal to exploit. It has all the makings of a really open game, and we are going to predict a 3-2 victory for the away side.
The two teams are making their way out at Anfield. We are really excited by this match. We hope you are too! Kickoff is coming right up...
Arsenal get us underway.
I expected Liverpool to make the early running in this game, but it is Arsenal who look the sharper in possession. They are doing an effective job of keeping their hosts pressed in their own half.
CHANCE! Better from Liverpool who show ambition down both flanks. A delivery from the left from Moreno finds the head of Can, but his header is directed just wide of the post.
CHANCE! Arsenal's first opportunity falls to Welbeck. Sanchez does well being playing in his teammate but under pressure from Gomez, he slices the ball over the crossbar from 12 yards.
CHANCE! Cech has just pulled off a ridiculously good save. It looks a tap in for Salah at the back post after a brilliant low cross from Can, but the veteran goalkeeper somehow got in the way from just a few yards out.
So far, Gomez is standing up well to the test which Sanchez and Welbeck are posing. The youngster has just seen out the ball for a goal kick under pressure from Welbeck. Sanchez is drifting inside rather than playing down the left.
Liverpool create a similar opportunity as the Salah chance, only with Mane the player to get played into the penalty area. His cross is poor, and is deflected out for a corner, before Moreno seems a well-struck effort blocked.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Arsenal (Firmino)
It had been coming. Gomex justifies his selection with a wonderfully floated cross with his left foot and Firmino has the easiest task of heading into the bottom corner from eight yards out. It's abysmal defending from Arsenal.
CHANCE! Liverpool look sensational. Firmino plays in Henderson but after the pass has a little bit too pace on it, Henderson fires straight across goal.
BOOKING! The first man into the book is Lovren for a foul near the halfway line.
BOOKING! Now Welbeck is cautioned for his follow-through when trying to close down Moreno.
BOOKING! The bookings are coming thick and fast. Gomez is rightly booked for fouling Ramsey.
CHANCE! I get the impression that Salah is desperate to make up for his earlier miss. He is released down the right and the winger only has eyes for goal. He's cut inside onto his left foot before seeing a low shot saved by Cech.
If Liverpool score a second, I think it would be game over. Arsenal just don't look up for this, or Liverpool are just that good. They are winning all of the mini battles.
CHANCE! It's still all too easy for Liverpool, and they could easily be two goals to the good. The ball falls invitingly for Mane just inside the penalty area but his volley goes wide of the far post.
Liverpool are borderline taking the mick out of Arsenal. There's just no desire from the Gunners. They are not even second best. Still, while it remains 1-0, the visitors remain in the game.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Arsenal (Mane)
Liverpool double their lead with an outstanding counter-attack. A few sharp passes release Firmino and he bides his time before passing the ball through to Mane. The winger waits for Salah to catch up on the opposite flank but instead, cuts onto his right foot and curls his shot into the far corner.
There will be two minutes of added-on time. Arsenal need the break. Liverpool would rather this continue.
HALF TIME: Liverpool 2-0 Arsenal
The half-time whistle goes at Anfield and Liverpool deservedly lead Arsenal thanks to goals from Firmino and Mane. These two teams are supposed to be equally matched but based on that opening 45 minutes, the gulf in class and desire is off the scale. Surely Wenger must make alterations at the break.
Arsenal are making a change. Francois Coquelin is replacing Ramsey.
Liverpool get us back underway.
SHOT! It has inevitably been a fast start from Arsenal and a chance soon falls to Ozil, but the German playmaker drags his effort well wide of the far post.
BOOKING! Arsenal fans won't complain when Ozil gets booked for tackles! He does so here for a late challenge on Henderson.
CHANCE! Another chance for Salah, who certainly hasn't enjoyed the best afternoon in front of goal. He races away from the defender but his attempted curler into the far corner is too close to Cech.
GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 Arsenal (Salah)
Salah's afternoon just got better! A mistake from Bellerin - who is the last man - allows Salah to run at least half of the length of the pitch before producing a calm finish into the bottom corner. Liverpool have been sensational this afternoon. Arsenal less so.
SUBSTITUTIONS! Wenger has seen enough. Alexandre Lacazette and Olivier Giroud have been introduced for Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sanchez.
With just 24 minutes to go, this game is all over as a contest. Liverpool are pressing forward at will. Their frontmen have been terrific. There have been no more opportunities but don't be surprised to see a fourth goal netted before the end of the game.
CHANCE! It should be four. Salah's pass should be dealt with by Holding but the defender allows the ball to get through to Mane. The winger just has Cech to beat from 12 yards out but the goalkeeper gets half a touch on the ball and it is prevented from heading into the net by a defender.
BOOKING! Holding becomes the fourth Arsenal player to be booked after a crude challenge on Henderson.
SUBSTITUTION! It's time for a Liverpool change with Daniel Sturridge replacing Mane.
GOAL! Liverpool 4-0 Arsenal (Sturridge)
Liverpool are on another level today. A sublime cross from Salah on the left picks out Sturridge at the back post and the substitute has the simple task of heading into the bottom corner from three yards out.
SUBSTITUTION! A second Liverpool switch sees James Milner come on to replace Firmino.
SUBSTITUTION! Liverpool's final change sees Marko Grujic replace Can.
CHANCE! Arsenal are still making an effort to get a consolation goal but on this occasion, Giroud heads over from a free kick.
There will be three minutes of added-on time.
CHANCE! Salah has had an excellent game but he is denied a second goal from an acute angle, with Cech tipping the ball onto the roof of the net.
FULL TIME: Liverpool 4-0 Arsenal
The full-time whistle goes at Anfield and Liverpool have completed a one-sided win over a extremely disappointing Arsenal side. The scoreline could have been worse for the Gunners, who have now lost two of their opening three games of the season. As for Liverpool, they now sit in second place behind Manchester United.
That will be all from Sports Mole for this game. Thank you for joining us this afternoon and we hope to see you again soon. Goodbye for now.

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last updated article - 2017-08-30 08:53:56:
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20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd3237223084-5416
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