Mikel Arteta will lead his Arsenal side to Anfield to take on Liverpool this weekend in what is arguably our most dreaded Premier League game of the season.
The Gunners have a woeful record in the red part of Merseyside. Arsenal have lost 15 away games against Liverpool in the Premier League and we haven’t won a league game there in our last eight visits – drawn two and lost six.
Arsenal last beat Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League in September 2012. There are a few things you may have forgotten about that game.
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5 forgotten facts from Arsenal’s last PL win over Liverpool at Anfield
Vito Mannone started in goal
Yep, you read that right. The Italian was our third-choice goalkeeper back then, but he was Arsene Wenger’s main man when we travelled to Anfield to take on the Reds in the 2012/13 season.
Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski both suffered injuries that kept them away from the side. Don Vito stepped up and kept a clean sheet against a Liverpool side that had Luis Suarez, Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard.
Carl Jenkinson starred at right-back
Remember Jenko? The life-long Gooner got his chance to represent the club of his dreams, but he never quite made it. However, his performance at Anfield nine years ago was a very impressive one.
Jenkinson made six tackles against the Reds that afternoon – more than any other player on the pitch (WhoScored). He definitely didn’t fulfil all his dreams at Arsenal, but he’ll surely look back at this game with a smile on his face.
The best of Abou Diaby
Abou Diaby’s time at Arsenal will always be remembered for his terrible luck with injuries. However, his performance against Liverpool nine years ago showed everyone how great a player he was.
Diaby played the full 90 minutes and bossed the game at Anfield. He had 84 touches of the ball, registered two key passes and maintained a brilliant 90.4 per cent passing accuracy.
He also made four tackles and three interceptions, and it’s just a shame he couldn’t build on that performance. (WhoScored)
Mikel Arteta: Quietly brilliant
Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski’s debut goals and Diaby’s sensational performance stole all the headlines but our current boss was quietly magnificent against Liverpool that day.
Arteta had 107 touches of the ball and maintained a stunning 94.6 per cent passing accuracy. He made three tackles, two interceptions, one clearance and was dispossessed just twice in the entire game. (WhoScored)
A truly fantastic performance from the Spaniard.
Contract rebel Theo Walcott was dropped
‘Sign da Ting’ became extremely popular back in 2012 because of Theo Walcott’s reluctance to extend his contract. He had entered the final year of his deal and his refusal to sign an extension forced Arsene Wenger to drop him.
The Englishman was an unused substitute in the game against Liverpool at Anfield nine years ago.
Walcott started just one of Arsenal’s first 10 Premier League games that season. It was only in October that he became a regular starter again. He finally extended his deal in January, signing a £100,000-a-week contract. (BBC)
