Arsenal and Liverpool played out a goalless draw in their Premier League clash at the Emirates this evening.
Philippe Coutinho struck the bar early on for the Reds, before Aaron Ramsey had a goal harshly ruled out for offside.
Liverpool then dominated the opening half, with Christian Benteke and Coutinho seeing further efforts saved by Petr Cech.
The Gunners took charge after the break and Alexis Sanchez fired a strike against the post, but they were unable to force a winner, as the Reds held on to claim a point.
Find out how the action unfolded below.
Good evening everyone! I know that Monday's aren't the best day of the week, but we've got a great game in prospect to make things a whole lot better, as heavyweights Arsenal and Liverpool do battle at the Emirates!
Tonight's match is due to kick off at 8pm, and we'll be bringing you live coverage of all the action in North London. That should give us plenty of time to take a closer look at each side before the game begins, while team news from the Emirates should be with us in around an hour.
So, where better to start our coverage than to take a look at this evening's hosts. Arsenal have been tipped by many to finally challenge for the title after years of just battling for a top-four spot. The club has won three Premier League titles under Arsene Wenger, but the last of those came 11 years ago.
There is a genuine belief that the Gunners can realise their potential after claiming back-to-back FA Cups in the past two seasons. The signing of Petr Cech this summer has also been hailed as a major coup, with some pundits branding the goalkeeper as the missing piece of the jigsaw for the club.
A good pre-season has followed, with the club winning all of their matches, including confident victories over Everton and Lyon, who were thrashed 6-0 in the Emirates Cup. It got even better for the Gunners in the Community Shield, as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's strike gave them a 1-0 win, to end Wenger's long run without success against Jose Mourinho.
With such confidence flowing through the team, a good start was expected in their opening Premier League match against West Ham United. However, things did not go according to plan, as the Hammers pulled of a shock 2-0 win to leave the Emirates with all three points.
Cech bore the brunt of the criticism for his performance, after a shaky display on his home debut. The keeper came out to punch a free kick from Dimitri Payet, but he got nowhere near the ball as Cheikhou Kouyate thumped in a header. It got worse after the break, as Mauro Zarate was allowed too much time and space on the edge of the box to drill in a low strike, with the keeper late to react again.
In the immediate aftermath of the game, many fans called upon Wenger to make changes to his squad and bring in some new signings. A lot of the criticism went to Olivier Giroud, who struggled in the attack and had lost his place at the end of last season.
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry previously weighed in on the debate about his French compatriot, claiming that the Gunners would not win the title without a 'top quality striker'. One man who has been tipped to join the club all summer is Karim Benzema, and the defeat to West Ham only served to crank up those rumours to fever pitch.
However, Giroud went some way to proving his doubters wrong as Arsenal travelled to Crystal Palace last weekend. It took him just 16 minutes to find the net at Selhurst Park, with a well-taken volley from Mesut Ozil's precise cross.
Although the Eagles levelled with a clinical strike from Joel Ward, an own goal from Damien Delaney in the second half turned out to be the winning strike, as the Gunners picked up their first points of the season.
They will certainly be hoping to produce a better display as they return to the Emirates, but it is sure to be a tough night against a Liverpool side who have started the season well and have won their first two games.
The Reds opened with a trip to Stoke City, who had beaten them 6-1 in the final game of the last campaign. A draw looked to be on the cards, before Philippe Coutinho fired in a stunning goal from range to snatch a 1-0 victory.
They then faced new boys Bournemouth in their next match at Anfield last Monday and they recorded another 1-0 win, thanks to a debut goal in front of the Kop from £32m summer signing Christian Benteke.
It proved to be a harsh result on the Cherries, who had played well and didn't get any luck with the big decisions on the night. They had a goal ruled out early on, when Tommy Elphick was adjudged to have fouled Dejan Lovren, while Coutinho was offside and interfering with play as Benteke found the net.
The Premier League actually confirmed that Benteke's goal should not have stood due to a change in the offside rule over the summer. I'm sure that we will see plenty more controversial calls over the season, but the Reds have benefitted and have a solid platform to build upon due to their winning start.
While the results have been impressive, the displays from the Reds have been slightly unconvincing and they have struggled to create many goalscoring chances. I'm sure that Brendan Rodgers would have expected his team to take a few weeks to gel, with the amount of new signings he has made over the summer.
We have already seen a glimpse of what Benteke can bring to the club, while James Milner has looked solid alongside Jordan Henderson in the centre of the midfield. Perhaps their most impressive signing has been teenager Joe Gomez, who has looked at home in the left-back slot since joining from Charlton in June.
Liverpool fans will also be expecting big things of Roberto Firmino, who has arrived from Hoffenheim for a hefty sum of £29m. Having played at the Copa America, the Brazilian did not have much of a pre-season and he has not yet started in the league, but we will have to wait a few minutes longer to find out if he is in the first XI this evening.
It is worth noting the differences of each club in the transfer market this summer. As I previously mentioned, Arsenal have only signed Cech, while Liverpool have made seven additions to their squad. The Reds also brought in nine new players last year, and it did take a while for them to settle, with some like Mario Balotelli struggling to make the desired impact.
Right, I can tell you that the teams news from the Emirates has just arrived, so let's find out who will be playing in tonight's clash!
ARSENAL XI Cech, Bellerin, Chambers, Gabriel, Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla, Ramsey, Ozil, Sanchez, Giroud
LIVERPOOL XI: Mignolet, Clyne, Skrtel, Lovren, Gomez, Milner, Can, Lucas, Firmino, Coutinho, Benteke
ARSENAL SUBS: Ospina, Gibbs, Debuchy, Arteta, Flamini, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott
LIVERPOOL SUBS: Bogdan, Sakho, Moreno, Origi, Ings, Ibe, Rossiter
Well, I think there is only one place to start, as Arsenal are missing both of their first-choice central defenders. Laurent Koscielny is ruled out with a back injury, while Per Mertesacker misses out through illness. They have been replaced by Calum Chambers and Gabriel, who are both making their first starts of the season.
They are the only changes that Arsene Wenger has made from last weekend's victory over Palace. It means that Olivier Giroud continues to lead the attack, with Alexis Sanchez, Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil providing the support. Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin are further back in the midfield, with Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal keeping their spots in the full-back positions.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are also missing key players, as captain Jordan Henderson and Adam Lallana are ruled out completely. Taking their places in the midfield are Lucas Leiva and Emre Can, while there is also a first league start for Roberto Firmino, who comes in for Jordon Ibe.
Henderson's absence means that James Milner will be wearing the captain's armband for the first time. Christian Benteke will also be hoping to find the back of the net for the second game running, and he will be supported by the in-form Philippe Coutinho.
"Well, the absence of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker are big blows for Arsenal. Going forward, they look very strong, but Liverpool will fancy their chances of causing some problems in attack. The visitors, however, are without their skipper Jordan Henderson and Lucas Leiva therefore has a big task in the middle of the park. Pretty big team news in terms of the shock factor, but I still think that Arsenal are the favourites".
Of course this is a fixture that has thrown up some truly memorable games over the years. Arsenal fans will fondly remember their 2-0 victory over Liverpool in 1989, where Michael Thomas's last-minute goal saw them claim the title instead of the Reds.
In another meeting where silverware was at stake, the teams clashed in the 2001 FA Cup final at the Millennium Stadium. The Gunners looked to be on their way to the trophy when Freddie Ljungberg struck in the 72nd minute. However, two late goals from Michael Owen won it for the Reds, who would go on to win the UEFA Cup four days later to complete a cup treble.
When the clubs have not been in direct competition for a trophy, they have still produced some extraordinary games. They shared nine goals in a stunning League Cup tie in 2007, where on-loan striker Julio Baptista scored four goals at Anfield, The Brazilian even missed a penalty, but it made little difference as his side ran out 6-3 winners.
A year later they were drawn against each other in the quarter finals of the Champions League and played out a a 1-1 draw in the first leg in North London. In the return meeting Abou Diaby gave the Gunners an early lead, before Sami Hypia and Fernando Torres turned the game around, but the action was far from over.
With six minutes left to play a wonderful solo run by Theo Walcott led to Emmanuel Adebayor scoring a vital second away goal that looked set to put the Gunners through. However, just minutes later there was more drama, as Steven Gerard scored from the penalty spot and Ryan Babel added a fourth in the final minute to secure the Merseysider's place in the last four.
There were also plenty of goals in one of the greatest ever Premier League matches in 2009, that saw the teams share a 4-4 draw at Anfield. Andrey Arshavin had a relatively underwhelming spell in North London, but he scored all four of his side's goals that evening.
The recent head-to-head record between the teams doesn't bode well for Liverpool, as they have won just one of their past eight games against the Gunners. They have also lost their last three matches at the Emirates and have only won once on this ground.
It was back in April when the teams last played and it was Arsenal who came out on top. They played some outstanding football and romped to a 4-1 victory, which was the seventh match of an eight-game winning run. A late goal from Giroud was also the ninth time that either club had scored in the final minute in their previous 13 games.
We've still got while to go until kick off, so make sure you check out our video preview for today's match if you have missed it.
PREDICTION: The Gunners will be determined to put in a better display than they managed in their last match at the Emirates. They struggled to break down West Ham on that occasion, and it will not be any easier against Liverpool. With two wins under their belt the Reds will be full of confidence, but this will represent their first true test of the season. It could be tight and cagey, but I fancy Arsenal to come out on top, so I'm going to go for a 2-1 victory to the hosts.
Of course the big talking point for the Gunners this evening will be how they cope without Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker, but Arsene Wenger has given his backing to their replacements.
"I believe that Chambers and Gabriel have good quality. I am confident that they will do well," he told Sky Sports News.
We're just a few minutes away from kick off now and I can tell you that it is pouring down in North London. It could make for a tough night for the defenders, while the forward players will surely be tempted to try their luck from range on this surface.
KICKOFF! Arsenal take the kick off and get us underway at the Emirates!
OFF THE BAR! Liverpool have made a strong start to the match and they come within inches of taking the lead. Benteke had already fired an effort wide from the edge of the box, before the Reds came forward at pace again, and when Coutinho was found with space inside the box, he placed his effort onto the bar, with the ball bouncing down and away to safety.
CHANCE! It's Arsenal on the attack now and they work the ball out wide to Monreal. The full-back then swings a peach of a cross into the middle that is met by Sanchez, but the Chilean heads the ball wide. That was a decent chance and he should have at least hit the target from there.
GOAL DISALLOWED! This is a massive decision so early in the game, as Arsenal have a goal chalked off. Cazorla had slipped a wonderful ball through to Ramsey, who slid a low effort past Mignolet at his near post, but the linesman had his flag raised. However, the replays show that the Welshman was onside and he is right to complain.
The Gunners seem to have recovered from their unconvincing start and they are now seeing plenty of the ball inside their opponents' half. Liverpool have got plenty of men back, and they won't want to leave Benteke too stranded when they can break.
I've mentioned a few times how poor the defending has been and Chambers gives the ball away badly on the edge of his own box to Coutinho. The Brazilian then drives into the box and shapes to shoot, but Coquelin is back brilliantly to make a vital tackle and put the ball behind for a corner.
There is no telling where the first goal will come from this evening, but I would take a guess that it may be from a defensive mistake. Arsenal have got away with a couple of really poor errors, and it is clear that they are missing their first-choice centre-backs.
The Gunners are still enjoying plenty of the ball and they have racked up over 70% of the possession in the first 20 minutes of the match. Rodgers will not be too bothered by those statistics, as his side have looked dangerous whenever they have got into the final third.
Once again Arsenal lose the ball cheaply deep in their own half to Benteke, who is causing them plenty of problems this evening. The Belgian then drives towards the area, but Coquelin is back to make another superb tackle.
SAVE! Chambers has been guilty of giving the ball away a few times this evening and he loses it again to Coutinho. The Brazilian then threads a great pass through to Milner, who squeezes in a low strike from a tight angle that is palmed wide at his near post by Cech.
The Reds come forward at pace again, with Clyne cutting inside from the right and drilling in a low strike that deflects wide of the far post. The corner is then played to the edge of the box and whipped in looking for Benteke, but Cech is off his line well to claim ahead of the Belgian.
Arsenal just cannot handle Benteke this evening as the Belgian takes down a long ball just inside the opposition half and bursts past a couple of challenges. His final ball to Coutinho on the edge of the box is then cut out, but it was another fine piece of skill from the striker.
Liverpool are having a lot of joy from the direct approach this evening and Benteke flicks a long goal kick over the defence and through for Coutinho. The Brazilian is then bearing down on goal, but Gabriel gets across to stop his countryman before he can get a shot away.
Down the other end of the pitch Arsenal are almost in as Ozil frees Sanchez down the left. He then looks up and tries to pick out the run of Giroud in the middle, but Skrtel is back to cover and the Reds are able to clear the danger.
SAVE! What a brilliant save this is from Cech. Bellerin gives the ball away and Firmino picks up possession down the left. He then plays a great low ball across the six-yard box that finds Benteke at the back post. The Belgian looks odds on to score from just a couple of yards out, but somehow Cech gets across to turn the ball behind.
SHOTS! Liverpool are ending the half strongly and they threaten again when Firmino fires in a drive towards the near post that forces another save from Cech. From the resulting corner, the Brazilian is found on the edge of the box, but he can only drill his strike wide of the far post.
This is a more easy offside decision by the linesman to make. Benteke thinks that he will have another chance to score after being played through by Coutinho, but Gabriel had stepped up well to ensure that he was clearly beyond the last man.
OFF THE POST! For the second time this evening Liverpool have hit the woodwork. Coutinho weaves his way into the box and creates some space to curl a right-footed strike towards the far corner. The ball looks as if it will nestle in the back of the net, but Cech gets a vital touch to send it onto the post. The keeper has certainly shown his class this evening.
HALF-TIME: Arsenal 0-0 Liverpool
I'm not sure how, but it's goalless at the Emirates as the two teams head towards the dressing rooms. Arsenal had a goal wrongly ruled out early on, but since then Liverpool have been on top, and Philippe Coutinho has hit the woodwork twice, while Petr Cech made a stunning save to deny Christian Benteke.
So, I mentioned earlier that Arsenal were seeing a lot of the ball, and they ended the half with 61% of the possession. However, they have only managed three shots on goal, while Liverpool have had 11 efforts, with five of those hitting the target.
Arsenal have clearly been shaken by the loss of their two main centre-backs. Calum Chambers has not looked at all convincing and he has given the ball away so many times. It has rubbed off on some of his teammates, with the usually reliable Hector Bellerin losing possession too, with one of his mistakes almost leading to a goal.
"How on earth are Liverpool not winning this game? Chambers has been seriously exposed at the back and only excellent work from Cech has kept Arsenal's clean sheet in tact. That said, the hosts have a strong case to be ahead following Ramsey's effort, which was wrongly ruled out. It has been a brilliant first 45 minutes of action - let's hope for more of the same in the second."
RESTART! Liverpool get the action back underway!
There hasn't been too much to report in the early stages of the second half, but Liverpool are enjoying a good spell on the ball. They are also finding a lot of space down the left, with Gomez being pushed much further up the pitch when his side are in possession.
We've seen brief glimpses of what the Gunners are capable of and they produce a flowing move to get to the edge of the box. It is then played into Giroud, who attempts to flick a pass through to Sanchez, but the Reds had enough players back to snuff out the threat.
This is much better from Arsenal. Sanchez has been quiet this evening, but he breaks into space down the right and whips a teasing ball into the middle. Giroud arrives to meet it at the front post, but his effort takes a deflection and loops behind for a corner.
Arsenal are looking much better at the moment and they are just starting to click into gear. They are pushing Liverpool right back onto the edge of their own box, with Ozil and Sanchez getting much more involved in the game.
SHOT! Giroud scored a superb volley last weekend, and he tried his luck here with a strike from the edge of the box. However, he did not make great contact with the ball, and it bobbles well wide of the far post.
OFF THE POST! The Gunners are well on top now and they create the best chance of the second half. Another fine team move sees Cazorla slip in Sanchez down the left-hand side of the box, but the Chilean can only fire his strike against the post. Once again you expect him to hit the target, but his team are getting closer.
YELLOW CARD! It's taken over an hour, but we have our first booking of the match, with Skrtel shown yellow for a foul on Sanchez.
SUB! Firmino has played well on his full debut for the Reds, but he is now being replaced by Ibe.
I still can't believe we haven't seen a goal this evening as the Gunners threaten once more. Ramsey does well down the left, before driving a low ball across the six-yard box that is just out the reach of Giroud.
YELLOW CARD! The hosts pick up their first booking of the evening, as Gabriel is cautioned by the referee for fouling Benteke.
YELLOW CARD! It's another booking and this time Can picks up a yellow card for fouling Ramsey.
SAVE! The Gunners are in complete control and they come close again when Giroud spins inside the six-yard box and fires in a strike that is touched wide by Mignolet. It looked as if the striker was having his shirt tugged by Lovren as he took the shot, but there were no big appeals from his team.
CHANCE! It's still all Arsenal and Giroud lays the ball off for Ramsey to hit just outside the box. The Welshman then looks to curl a strike into the top corner, but his effort goes just over the bar, with the keeper at full stretch.
SUB! Arsenal are making their first change of the evening, with Walcott coming on for Giroud.
SUB! Here's an interesting change by Liverpool, as teenager Rossiter comes on for his league debut to replace Lucas.
YELLOW CARD! Arsenal break quickly from a corner and Ramsey shows a wonderful piece of skill to turn Gomez down the left. The Liverpool defender then brings his opponent down and picks up a deserved booking by the referee.
CHANCE! Liverpool haven't seen too much of the ball since the break, but they are in possession and looking dangerous. They also come close to breaking the deadlock, as Coutinho dribbles into the box and fires in a low drive towards the near post that is pushed away by Cech.
SUB! It's another change for Arsenal, with Oxlade-Chamberlain replacing Coquelin.
SHOT! This would have been a cruel way for Liverpool to concede, as Ramsey fires in a strike from range that takes a wicked deflection off Lovren and looks to have Mignolet beaten, but the keeper recovers well to get down and make the save.
What a wonderful piece of defending this is from Sktrel. Oxlade-Chamberlain breaks clear down the right and drives a low ball across the six-yard box. Walcott is lurking at the back post and is set for a tap in, but the Liverpool defender stretches out a leg to divert the ball wide of the far post.
YELLOW CARD! Mignolet is the fourth Liverpool player to be booked this evening for time wasting.
SUB! Third and final change for Liverpool, with Coutinho making way for Moreno.
Arsenal are still pressing for a late winner, but the Liverpool defence have repelled everything that has come their way so far. Skrtel has been a rock at the heart of the defence and has been a real inspiration to his teammates.
There are going to be at least four minutes of stoppage time.
The Gunners give the ball away cheaply and Moreno is able to charge forward on the break. He has Benteke to one side, and Ibe on the other, but he charges into the box, before he is eventually stopped by the Arsenal defence.
SAVE! Oxlade-Chamberlain tries his luck from range with a singing low drive that looks headed for the bottom corner, but Mignolet gets across his line well to turn it behind for a corner. The resulting set piece is eventually whipped into the box and met by Gabriel, but the Brazilian can only head over the bar.
FULL-TIME: Arsenal 0-0 Liverpool
The final whistle blows at the Emirates and it has finished all square between Arsenal and Liverpool. Each side had plenty of chances to find the net, but somehow it ended goalless, for the first time in 16 years.
So, that result keeps up Liverpool's unbeaten start to the season and lifts them to third spot in the table, while Arsenal move up to ninth, with their fourth point of the campaign. It's also a third clean sheet in a row for the Reds, while the Gunners are still searching for their first goal at home.
Right, that's all we've got time for, after a breathless encounter at the Emirates. We'll have plenty of reaction to come this evening, with analysis and player ratings to follow shortly. I hope you have enjoyed our coverage. Goodbye!
