Liverpool and Arsenal have given their fans and neutrals alike some of the most dramatic and surprising games in English football history. Whether it be in domestic or European competition, when Liverpool meets London, you can tend to expect fireworks.
On Sunday, we meet them in the league for the Anfield fixture. Arsenal sit top, us 3rd. These matches have taken a different form over recent seasons as we’ve both been challenging for the top spot.
Whilst they tend to be a little cagier than past fixtures, lets relive some of the all time classics between these juggernauts.
Liverpool 3 Arsenal 6 - League Cup - Jan. 2008
Jeremie Aliadiaire and Julio Baptista. The kinds of random footballers you name when you’re sat around with your mates trying to name the obscurest.
Whilst they never fully lived up to their potential in their careers, they absolutely had the run of Anfield in this 2008 Carling Cup tie.
Baptista scored 4, Aliadiaire set 3 of them up, and even bagged one himself. The shocking 6-3 home defeat turned plenty of heads as Liverpool didn’t have the weakest of teams out.
Arsenal dominated the entire affair, but it wouldn’t be a classic Liverpool game without a Stevie G screamer.
He scored our 2nd as we tried to mount a fight back, but with Baptista and Aliadiare channeling their inner Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole, we didn’t stand much of a chance.
But with Gabriel Paletta ‘protecting’ our right-hand side, I think I might have scored a few that night.
Liverpool 4 Arsenal 2 - Champions League QF - Apr. 2008
Another classic from 2008. One of my favourite childhood Liverpool memories. Our 4-2 win in the Champions League quarter final. We’d draw 1-1 at the Emirates, and it was back to Anfield we go.
We’re talking peak Torres-Gerrard here. When they looked just as unpredictable as they were unstoppable. As a teenager living through this period for Liverpool, it was nerve-shredding when it culminated in nights like this; but it was absolutely worth it.
We lost a goal early on to Abou Diaby, but hit back before half-time with a Sami Hyypia header. This is back when the away goals rule was still active in European competitions (please bring it back).
In the second half, in classic Torres fashion, he’s fed the ball in the box, turns his man, and the rest is practically inevitable. 2-1 on the night, 3-2 in the tie.
Then Theo Walcott decided to turn up. He picks the ball up in our half and skips past 2 or 3 of our stationary defenders. I think the entire ground was yelling to bring him down, we didn’t, and he squared a ball over to Adebayor for a tap-in.
6 minutes left and as it stands, Arsenal are heading through on away goals. The next part I remember so vividly.
The TV station had just finished showing the replay of the goal, and as it cut back to the live action, the first thing we all saw was Kolo Toure ripping down Ryan Babel in the box. Penalty. Stevie G. 3-2. Still 6 minutes to go.
Arsenal huffed and they puffed but couldn’t break us down. A long clearance from Dirk Kuyt and a stiff arm from Babel on Fabregas later, and it was 4-2.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by our terrible twosome. We honestly didn’t know how lucky we were to have them.
Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1 - FA Cup Final - May 2001
The 2001 FA Cup was one of the few times in our history that we’ve faced the Gunners with a piece of silverware on the line. We were in the Millennium Stadium cup final era too, which still feels like a fever dream.
Arsenal were about 18 months away from beginning their Invincibles season, and the quality they had at their disposal was almost unfair. Wenger was hitting his prime, and most dangerously, so was Thierry Henry.
I was 9 years old when this match was played, and I remembered it for one man and one man only. Michael Owen.
Watching it back, years later, I saw how much Arsenal dominated us for large parts of the game. They had such a fluid attack with Henry, Freddie Ljundberg, Robert Pires, and Sylvain Wiltord. All difference makers and all match winners.
After Henry was denied numerous times by Sander Westerveld and whichever defender was furthest back on the line at the time, it was Ljungberg who broke the deadlock after dancing past an on-rushing Westerveld and lifting it into the back of the net.
Then it became the Michael Owen show and showcased exactly how he won the Balon D’or that year.
On 83 minutes, a scrappy corner led to the ball falling to Owen’s feet, and he rarely gave those chances up. Then, with 2 minutes to go, Patrick Berger hits a wicked 60-yard ball through to Owen, who still has a lot to do.
In classic Owen fashion, his first touch takes it away from the approaching Tony Adams, and he finds the smallest of targets in the bottom right corner, away from the outstretched and rather tall David Seaman.
A smash and grab of sorts, but they all count.
Liverpool 4 Arsenal 4 - Premier League - Apr. 2009
When people talk about Andriy Arshavin, they will always mention this night. Liverpool needed a win to keep up the pressure on United and Chelsea in the title race in pursuit of their first Premier League trophy in decades.
We’d been knocked out of the Champions League a little less than a week before, so all of our eggs were in the league title basket.
We were electric to start. It was Torres chance after Torres chance after Torres chance.
Then Andriy Arshavin scored. 1-0 to Arsenal at the break, and we needed to bounce back.
Torres leveled the proceedings shortly after the break, and Benayoun quickly made it 2-1 to Liverpool in front of The Kop.
Then Arshavin scored again. Wenger brought on Walcott, which gave Arsenal’s attack a little more pace. It was level, and Liverpool needed to find a winner from somewhere.
Then Arshavin scored again. 3 minutes after his second goal, he completed his hat trick. A poor headed clearance from a Fabregas cross saw the ball fall delightfully to Arshavin, who squeezed it under Pepe Reina.
3-2 down with 20 minutes to go, and Torres immediately strikes back to level things up only 2 minutes later.
The crowd are now up for it, we need one more goal to keep the pressure on our title contenders and secure a very tricky 3 points.
Then Arshavin scores again. Truly unbelievable scenes unfolding at Anfield. Our title charge is being halted by one man who seems to be scoring with every touch he has. One of the most magical Anfield performances by an opposing player.
Liverpool ended up drawing the game with a late Benayoun equalizer, but the damage had been done. We’d have to wait even longer for that elusive title.
Liverpool have had issues defensively, Arsenal haven’t. We have Hugo Ekitike; Arsenal don't.
It’s a massive 3 points on the line and we’re only 3 games into the season. Will this be another instant classic?