Summary

  • Salah scores 15th league goal of season after Coutinho opener

  • Sanchez, Xhaka and Ozil turn game around before Firmino levels

  • Game from Emirates is live on BBC Radio 5 live

  1. 'Salah should have put game to bed'published at 20:34 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2017

    Arsenal 0-1 Liverpool

    Jermaine Jenas
    Former Tottenham midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live

    That Mo Salah chance was a huge moment!

    Granit Xhaka is getting absolute pelters from these Arsenal fans not happy with his performance - he loses out and Salah has been clinical this season in that position.

    Jurgen Klopp is fuming. Salah should have put this game to bed, first it's a great save from Petr Cech but the second miskick is an uncharacteristic air-kick from Salah.

    The whole team, from front to back, you could really criticise how Arsenal have defended in this game.

  2. HALF-TIMEpublished at 20:33 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2017

    Arsenal 0-1 Liverpool

    Plenty of boos and jeers from the stands - Liverpool could be over the hills and far away by now...

  3. Postpublished at 45 mins

    Arsenal 0-1 Liverpool

    Jurgen Klopp is now exploding on the sidelines after Sadio Mane is tripped and no foul is given. He's fuming.

    He probably can't believe that Mo Salah hasn't made it 2-0.

    Jurgen Klopp gestures on the touchlineImage source, Reuters
  4. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 20:30 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2017

    #bbcfootball or 81111 on text

    Simon Cooper: Now I’m a Wenger fan and always have been but surely Klopp, Mourinho or Pep would have dropped Alexis by now this season

    Alistair Wiseman: The players that are good enough to wear the Arsenal shirt are the ones which want away. The rest... they're happy to take the money and not have to worry about such inconsequential things as winning the league. It's sad.

    Ketan Patel: Arsenal never learn in defence, another season and another same story, another season where we will miss out on CL spot!! Not good enough!

  5. CLOSE!published at 44 mins

    Arsenal 0-1 Liverpool

    Should be 2-0!

    James Milner plays it through, Laurent Koscielny slips and Mo Salah is in on goal. He takes it on his left foot, saved by Petr Cech!

    Should have scored. The rebound loops up, Sadio Mane goes for a Mark Hughes special, scissor kick, over the bar!

    Seconds later Salah has an air kick at another chance. Arsenal are lucky, lucky, lucky boys...

  6. 'Not enough Arsenal players want the ball'published at 20:27 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2017

    Arsenal 0-1 Liverpool

    Jermaine Jenas
    Former Tottenham midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live

    They need to wake up, Arsenal.

    How many times have we seen Arsenal go back to Petr Cech?

    It tells me there are not enough people wanting the ball or working hard enough to get on the ball.

  7. Postpublished at 42 mins

    Arsenal 0-1 Liverpool

    A midfield of Jack Wilshere, Granit Xhaka and Mesut Ozil is one of many attributes - but graft, pace and mobility are not top of the list. I thought that before kick-off and it's been the case, they can't get back when Liverpool attack at all.

    Wilshere and Xhaka were trailing behind Philippe Coutinho as he ran into the area to score.

  8. Postpublished at 39 mins

    Arsenal 0-1 Liverpool

    Liverpool really in control - they'll be gutted to only go in 1-0 up given the momentum in the last 15 minutes or so.

    Dejan Lovren in action at the EmiratesImage source, Getty Images
  9. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 20:21 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2017

    #bbcfootball or 81111 on text

    Jerry Elumeze: Liverpool play with no fear, as always, Arsenal more worried about conceding than winning, like Mourinho's Mufc

    Oliver Laity: arsenal have one midfielder who is prepared to defend.... This won't end well for them. Why is iwobi playing? What does he bring to the team?

    KC Ahmed: End to end stuff. Great to watch. Watch and learn Mr Mourinho.

  10. Postpublished at 35 mins

    Arsenal 0-1 Liverpool

    Nacho Monreal goes down holding his shin after making a challenge on Philippe Coutinho, who will take the free-kick too. He scored at this end last season.

    Crosses this one, Dejan Lovren in space - chance! Arsenal's defence falls apart and had Lovren made a telling contact across the box he had two men in dayglo orange waiting for a tap in.

  11. 'Arsenal need to concentrate'published at 20:19 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2017

    Arsenal 0-1 Liverpool

    Jermaine Jenas
    Former Tottenham midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live

    Liverpool's balance is far better. Emre Can and James Milner are playing a much more supportive role, while Arsenal are getting caught ahead of the ball.

    Arsenal look far the worse side at the minute.

    It is a really important end to this first half for Arsenal. They need to concentrate, tighten up, one goal and the game will be away from them.

    They look like a team lacking confidence, they look like a team that don't believe.

  12. CLOSE!published at 32 mins

    Arsenal 0-1 Liverpool

    Alexis Sanchez has lost possession 11 times already.

    Liverpool are purring along now, they are all over Arsenal - oh and that's nearly two!

    Roberto Firmino in space on the edge of the area and he plants a curling shot onto the roof of the net! So, so close.

  13. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 20:15 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2017

    #bbcfootball or 81111 on text

    Paul Walmsley: Brilliant goal, but Arsenal's defending was pretty shocking there. Free run on goal for Coutinho

    Dennis Ethan: If Arsenal lose tonight I don't see them finishing top 4 this season

    John Artro Morris: That is one of my favourite LFC goals this season. Mainly for the desire Coutinho showed to get in the box.

  14. Postpublished at 30 mins

    Arsenal 0-1 Liverpool

    Alexis Sanchez doesn't even try to make a tackle as Sadio Mane gets away from him. All is not well in the hosts' camp.

  15. Postpublished at 29 mins

    Arsenal 0-1 Liverpool

    When Liverpool whacked Arsenal up at Anfield Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey were singled out for not covering midfield runs and the pattern hasn't really changed.

    Swap Ramsey for Jack Wilshere. Arsenal get flooded by men in orange again and Sadio Mane has a shot blocked.

  16. 'Salah does what he does best'published at 20:13 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2017

    Arsenal 0-1 Liverpool

    Jermaine Jenas
    Former Tottenham midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live

    The young left back got caught out of position, he drifts into a midfield part of the pitch and Mo Salah does what he does best, gets wide and in a one v one situation with Laurent Koscielny.

    It's a nightmare for him to have to deal with. Who is tracking Philippe Coutinho?

    Liverpool have been the better side anyway, Arsenal have not got going.

  17. Postpublished at 20:13 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2017

    Perhaps unsurprisingly, that is Philippe Coutinho's first headed goal in the Premier League...

  18. goal

    GOAL - Arsenal 0-1 Liverpoolpublished at 26 mins

    Philippe Coutinho

    Who had a Philippe Coutinho header down for first goal?!

    James Milner starts it, lovely whipped pass down the line from deep to send Mohamed Salah away, he backs up a defender and though his cross is half cut out, it loops up and Coutinho is able to flick a header over Petr Cech, who is rather caught in no-man's-land...

    Deserved lead.

    CoutinhoImage source, Reuters
  19. CLOSE!published at 24 mins

    Arsenal 0-0 Liverpool

    Almost great at the other end - and then the other! What a minute.

    First, Ainsley Maitland-Niles strips the ball from Mo Salah, Alex Lacazette plays a backheel into the path of Alexis Sanchez inside the area but he's tackled well.

    Then straight away Philippe Coutinho finds Roberto Firmino behind Maitland-Niles - and his header skims the post and goes wide!

  20. 'Arsenal surprisingly poor'published at 20:08 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2017

    Arsenal 0-0 Liverpool

    Jermaine Jenas
    Former Tottenham midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live

    Liverpool are starting to get a bit of momentum, they are much the better side.

    Jurgen Klopp will be happy. His only concern is, every time Hector Bellerin goes forward, he keeps screaming at Sadio Mane to go with him.

    Arsenal are surprisingly poor at the minute - I expected them to have a lot more energy and urgency about their game.