By Betsefy
Arsenal have moved back to the top of the Premier League table courtesy of a 3-2 victory over Liverpool st the Emirates Stadium this afternoon.
Goals from 21-year-old duo Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka (2) saw the Gunners make it eight wins from nine games so far this season at the expense of a Liverpool side that has now made their worst start to a league campaign for a decade.
Jurgen Klopp‘s side twice fought back from behind, with Darwin Nunez and Roberto Firmino getting their goals either side of half time, but they ultimately had no response to Saka’s second, which came from the penalty spot.
Martinelli had earlier scored one and assisted another, giving Arsenal the perfect start to the match with a goal inside the opening minute and then playing the ball across for Saka to turn home his first right on the stroke of half time.
Liverpool’s evening was further ruined by injuries to both Luis Diaz and Trent Alexander-Arnold, the latter of whom’s defensive abilities will once again come under scrutiny for his role in Arsenal’s second.
The result sees Arsenal move 14 points clear of their opponents in the Premier League table, albeit having played one game more, and most importantly sees them restore their one-point advantage over Manchester City at the summit.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are languishing in 10th place with only 10 points and two wins to their name after eight games.
HIGHLIGHTS
1st min: Arsenal make the perfect start to the match as they break the deadlock inside one minute, with Martin Odegaard slipping a pass through to Gabriel Martinelli, who sweeps his finish past Alisson Becker.
ARSENAL AHEAD INSIDE A MINUTE! 🤯⚡
Gabriel Martinelli has the Emirates rocking! 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/1LGeCM9T8Z
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 9, 2022
25th min: Darwin Nunez stings the palms of Aaron Ramsdale with a powerful strike from a narrow angle.
34th min: Liverpool equalise as Luis Diaz capitalises on a Gabriel Magalhaes error before playing the ball across for Nunez to apply the finish.
1-1 AT THE EMIRATES! 👊
Darwin Núñez gets the equaliser for Liverpool 🔴 pic.twitter.com/XswVyKvmGy
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 9, 2022
45+5 min: Arsenal end the first half like they started it, hitting Liverpool on the break to restore their lead right on the stroke of half time. Martinelli turns inside past Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold before playing the ball into the middle, and Bukayo Saka is there on the stretch to turn it home from close range.
SAKA PUTS ARSENAL BACK IN FRONT 🔴
What a counter-attack! ⚡⚡ pic.twitter.com/In35yzcZh2
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 9, 2022
50th min: Early chance in the second half for Arsenal as more good work from Martinelli creates an opening for Odegaard, who puts his shot straight at Alisson.
53rd min: Liverpool equalise as Diogo Jota slides a ball through for Roberto Firmino, who picks out the bottom far corner with a precise finish.
⭕ 𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐎! ⭕
Roberto Firmino puts Liverpool level again! 🇧🇷🎯 pic.twitter.com/bQejWAskRh
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 9, 2022
62nd min: Granit Xhaka flicks the ball past Joel Matip before taking the shot on the volley, but he blazes it well over the crossbar.
73rd min: A scramble inside the Liverpool area as Alisson is forced into two saves in quick succession, the second to deny Gabriel Jesus from point-blank range. Liverpool fail to properly clear their lines, though, and referee Michael Oliver awards a penalty as Jesus goes down under the challenge of Thiago Alcantara.
76th min: Saka converts from the spot, placing the ball into the bottom corner and beyond the reach of Alisson, despite the Liverpool keeper guessing the right way.
MAN OF THE MATCH – GABRIEL MARTINELLI
© Reuters
Saka deserves a special mention for his match-winning brace, but the standout player this afternoon was his fellow 21-year-old Martinelli.
The Brazilian has been lauded by Klopp on more than one occasion in the past, and his goal after just 58 seconds set Arsenal on their way to another rousing performance in front of an increasingly vocal Emirates crowd.
Martinelli then turned provider for the second, leaving both Joel Matip and Alexander-Arnold for dead with his turn before playing the ball across the face of goal for Saka to convert on the stretch.
STANDOUT MOMENT
© Reuters
Saka’s penalty-taking history may forever be tarnished by his miss in the Euro 2020 final shootout, but he continues to step up for them and he showed no sign of nerves when coolly dispatching this one to win the match today.
Alisson Becker guessed the right way, but still did not get particularly close to Saka’s spot kick as he placed it right in the corner.
The award of the penalty was contentious, with Jesus going down under the challenge of Thiago, but Saka took full advantage and made no mistake with the match-winning moment.
BEST STATS
58 – Gabriel Martinelli’s goal after 58 seconds was Arsenal’s quickest in a Premier League home game since October 2011 (Robin van Persie, 29 seconds v Sunderland). It’s also the quickest goal that Arsenal have ever scored against Liverpool in the Premier League. Flash. pic.twitter.com/fTEqBnxOdq
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 9, 2022
Arsenal had 46 touches in Liverpool’s box today – more than they had in the previous 5 PL meetings combined (44)
Liverpool have only allowed their opponents more touches in their box in 1 previous PL game under Klopp – 48 v Man City, November 2019 pic.twitter.com/nDPN48h4vN
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) October 9, 2022
20 – Aged 21 years and 34 days, Bukayo Saka is the second-youngest player to reach 20 Premier League goals for Arsenal, after only Nicolas Anelka (20y 41d). Lion. pic.twitter.com/8a8T6Sg8Uq
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 9, 2022
MATCH STATS
Possession: Arsenal 44%-56% Liverpool
Shots: Arsenal 11-8 Liverpool
Shots on target: Arsenal 7-3 Liverpool
Corners: Arsenal 4-3 Liverpool
Fouls: Arsenal 11-11 Liverpool
LINEUPS
ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu; Partey, Xhaka; Saka (Vieira 94′), Odegaard (Tierney 82′), Martinelli; Jesus (Nketiah 91′)
LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold (Gomez 46′), Matip (Konate 69′), Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Henderson, Thiago; Salah (Fabinho 69′), Jota (Elliott 81′), Diaz (Firmino 42′); Nunez
