Arsenal are set to host Liverpool in an all-important FA Cup third-round clash at the Emirates, but first, we dip into the past with one classic game.
As the FA Cup kick-starts for this season for the Premier League teams, it usually means a chance for many teams to refresh their objectives and get on board with the idea of winning a trophy. Some tasty fixtures are lined up for this season’s third-round games in the cup, but none more feisty than Liverpool visiting the Emirates to take on Arsenal.
One might assume Liverpool to be one of the best sides in the English top flight for their haul of league titles. But they do not come close to Arsenal for their FA Cup numbers. The Gunners have won the competition 14 times, with the most recent one coming in the 2019/20 season, beating Chelsea in an empty Wembley Stadium.
The win also kick-started Mikel Arteta’s time at the club, with that cup often protecting the Spaniard from the sack. It has also given him some relevance about his tenure in North London with a trophy to show for his cause.
Liverpool’s latest success came in the 2021/22 final, where they beat Chelsea, although the game was decided via a penalty shootout. The win was a feather in the cap for Jurgen Klopp, who had won everything with the Reds except for this elusive trophy.
Their FA Cup defence was nothing short of dismal, as it took Liverpool two third-round legs to go past Wolves, only to stumble out against Brighton & Hove Albion. Klopp will undoubtedly want this team to have a challenging run in the competition and hopefully win. But they face Arsenal in the first hurdle.
The Gunners have also not performed well since their momentous victory over Chelsea in the 2019/20 Final. They have not managed to go past the fourth round in their last three seasons, which includes elimination against Nottingham Forest in the third round of the 2021/22 season.
Last season, they succumbed to a slender loss at the Etihad against eventual champions Manchester City, who added the FA Cup to their impressive haul of Premier League and Champions League titles. Arteta knows the joy of winning the competition and will aim to clinch his second title this season. But they must get past Liverpool at the first hurdle.
Hence, we have a remarkable clash when Liverpool visit the Emirates. Before we get into the nuts and bolts of the game via our matchday preview, let us dive deeper into one classic clash between the two sides. There have been many in the past, but one of the most recent ones, in 2014, stands out.
Laying the Setting
The 2013/14 season is best known for being one of the most memorable and heartbreaking for Liverpool fans. That infamous Steven Gerrard slip against Chelsea has remained fresh in the memories of everyone for almost a decade since, and it will always seem like a black mark on their history.
The Reds were inches away from their first Premier League title in the modern era and even had a three-point advantage with three games to spare. But they ended up losing the title to Manchester City, with four points adrift. On the footballing level, the Merseysiders probably played the game at their attacking best under Brendan Rodgers before falling short in the end.
They had a mixed bag of results when it came to playing Arsenal. The two teams played three times, with the Gunners leading those by 2-1. Like this season, the two giants played each other in quick succession, with the FA Cup and the reverse league fixtures coming remarkably close.
Arsenal won at the Emirates with a 2-0 scoreline, only to get smashed 5-1 at Anfield. Liverpool should have had the confidence boost to take on the Gunners eight days later, as many would have assumed the Reds would walk all over the Gunners.
Yet, the Gunners came out on top courtesy of goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lukas Podolski, ensuring they went into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. Gerrard converted a penalty, but that did not mean anything.
Overall, it was a top contest between the two heavyweights of English football, as one would go on to finish the season with a trophy while the other ended the campaign in utter disappointment.
What Happened in Arsenal vs Liverpool 2014 FA Cup Fifth-Round Tie?
Mesut Ozil pulled the strings for Arsenal in the attacking third and had a fantastic game of his own accord. However, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain grabbed the headlines with a goal and an assist, as he was everywhere on the pitch.
The former Arsenal and Liverpool star produced one of his best performances for the Gunners. He opened the scoring in the 16th minute after a glorious ball into the box from Ozil to shake up the opposition’s defence, as Yaya Sanogo’s blocked shot fell kindly to Oxlade-Chamberlain to slot it home.
Right after half-time, Oxlade-Chamberlain turned provider as once again he picked up a pass from Ozil to square it up for Podolski, who made a dash into the box. The second strike put Arsenal in the driving seat. But a Steven Gerrard penalty around the 59th minute did bring some nerves back into the Gunners fanbase.
In the end, Arsenal kept calm and took the win to progress into the quarter-finals. Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers might have wanted a more substantial run in the cup. But then, his side were focused too much on the Premier League title charge. As for the Gunners, that season would turn into something else.
The Aftermath
This season, the games between Liverpool and Arsenal have a significant weight attached to them, be it the title race or the FA Cup. The chances of these two playing one another more than three times are none, meaning each manager will have a clear idea of what they wish to achieve.
On this day in 2014: Aaron Ramsey scored an extra-time winner, as Arsenal came from two goals down to beat Hull City 3-2 in the FA Cup Final, ending their nine-year trophy drought.
A truly UNFORGETTABLE day. ❤️ #afc pic.twitter.com/wXNbmSmCKy
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) May 17, 2023
Heading back to 2014, Arsenal won at the Emirates in their fifth-round clash with Liverpool. At that time, the Liverpool fan base might not have fretted that defeat, considering their focus was the title race on their hands. Liverpool were flying in the league while battling Manchester City and Chelsea.
That season, they ended in disappointment for Liverpool, who suffered an untimely defeat and a draw in their last three games. Those dropped points eventually marked their downfall, allowing Manchester City to capitalise and take the title.
As for Arsenal, the win over Liverpool in the fifth round marked the beginning of something special in the FA Cup. The Gunners then faced Everton in the quarter-finals and beat Wigan Athletic on penalties in the semi-finals.
The final at Wembley proved a tricky contest for the Gunners as Hull City took a two-goal lead, only for Arsene Wenger’s men to stage a dramatic comeback through Santi Cazorla and Laurent Koscielny before a late Aaron Ramsey winner sealed the victory for Arsenal.
The win meant Arsenal ended their nine-year trophy drought and brought a new lease of life for Wenger in his long tenure. Moreover, they also clinched a record 11th FA Cup, which Manchester United later matched in the 2015/16 season. Since then, the Gunners have won three more, making them the outright record holders by a margin.
