Liverpool defeated Arsenal in the FA Cup third round with an own goal from defender Jakub Kiwior and a late strike from Luis Diaz. Arsenal missed several opportunities throughout the game, with Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka squandering most of their chances. Liverpool and Arsenal both wore alternative kits to raise awareness of the ‘No More Red’ campaign, which aims to combat youth knife crime in London.
Both teams fielded strong line-ups, with Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp signaling their intent to win the game. Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale started instead of David Raya, while Liverpool rested captain Virgil van Dijk and were without Mohamed Salah and Wataru Endo due to the Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup respectively.
Arsenal dominated the first half, with Martin Odegaard and Ben White both coming close to scoring. However, Liverpool had a chance when Trent Alexander-Arnold’s shot hit the crossbar. The half-time analysis focused on Kai Havertz’s five failed attempts at scoring, with Alan Shearer advising him to take his chances when he gets them.
In the second half, Liverpool made changes and had a good spell, with Diogo Jota hitting the crossbar and Darwin Nunez missing the follow-up. However, Liverpool didn’t have to wait long for a goal, as Jakub Kiwior scored an own goal from Alexander-Arnold’s corner. Luis Diaz then scored a late goal to seal the victory for Liverpool.
With this loss, Arsenal is out of the FA Cup. They can now focus on the Champions League and Premier League, but they have lost three games in a row. The FA Cup remains Arteta’s only trophy as Arsenal manager.
