ARSENAL conclude their US pre-season tour with a tough test against Premier League rivals Liverpool tonight.
The Gunners were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Bournemouth in Los Angeles last week while Arne Slot will be looking to pick up another win for the Reds.
- Kick-off time: 12.30am BST
- Stream: Arsenal.com
Slot gets one over Arteta
They will no doubt see plenty more of each other in years to come but Arne Slot will take some pleasure in coming out on top in this one.
Particularly in the first half, he set his side out well to disrupt Arsenal and cause their defence problems.
Goals from Salah and Carvalho were enough to seal to victory.
Credit: AFP Gunners end USA tour with defeat
After drawing with Bournemouth and beating Man Utd, The Gunners finish their pre-season tour of the US with defeat against Liverpool.
They will return to the UK and continue to prepare for the forthcoming Premier League season.
Riccardo Califiori will continue to look to gel with the squad and will be hoping to make his debut in the not too distant future.
FT: Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
This game will give both managers plenty to think about as they make the final preparations for the season ahead.
It will show them areas they may need to strengthen if they want to achieve their goals for the campaign.
Slot will be pleased with how often his side opened up the Arsenal defence in the first-half, given that Arteta fielded a strong side.
FT: Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
The referee brings the game to a close.
Liverpool hold on for victory against their Premier League rivals.
After the first-half we were treated to, the second-half was quite the anti-climax.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
90+4. Trossard looks to shield the ball with his body and gets a slight knee to the back.
He goes down like he will never walk again.
I wonder if Mikel Arteta teaches his players to react like an extra from Saving Private Ryan as soon as they feel any contact whatsoever.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
90+2. The youngsters who have come on for Liverpool have given it their all.
Beck in particular has impressed since his introduction.
Blair is making a nuisance of himself to the Arsenal defence.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
90. Arsenal force a corner and look to play it short.
The move breaks down and Liverpool are able to counter with pace.
Nyoni gets a shot off towards the far corner but Hein gets down well to deny them.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
88. Nat Phillips is bossing the centre of defence now for Slot’s side.
It is baffling that he is still a Liverpool player, brought in through desperation due to an injury crisis during pandemic.
He is a championship defender at best.
Credit: Getty Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
86. Arsenal are struggling to put Liverpool under any pressure in the final third since the changes.
The game has become a little scrappy as a result.
That will suit Liverpool, who have a lead to defend.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
84. Arteta brings a host of youngsters on.
With the season only a few weeks away, neither manager wants to run their senior players into the ground.
Time is starting to run out for Arsenal to find this equaliser.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
82. Odegaard spots the runs of Nketiah into the channel.
The Gunners’ striker tries to get a shot away from a seeminly impossible angle and drags it well wide of the goal.
Jorginho then wins a foul for Arteta’s side on the halfway line.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
80. As an Arsenal cross comes in, Kiwior beats Stephenson to the header.
The Polish defender cannot keep his effort down as it sails over the crossbar.
Liverpool just cannot retain possession now.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
78. Liverpool will be more than content to hold onto this lead now.
Arsenal have brought the experienced Jorginho on.
It really has been a game of two halves for Arnie Slot’s side in this game.
Credit: Getty Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
76. The teams stop for another drinks break.
Even the pitch gets some water during this period as the sprinklers appear from the ground and come on.
It is so warm in Philadelphia tonight I am surprised the palyers do not walk into the fountain of water.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
74. The Gunners continue to pass the ball around.
It ends up with Hein, who clears it long upfield.
Arsenal do not really have many players capable of holding such balls up and Liverpool clear their lines.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
72. Liverpool have plenty of fresh legs on the pitch now but very little experience.
Arsenal continue to look to turn the screw, in search of an equaliser.
They are just missing that final pass currently.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
70. Both managers are making a host of changes now.
Any recognisable first-team face is being given a rest.
Chance for the academy talents to impress now.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
68. The Gunners look the most likely to score right now.
If this were a boxing match, Liverpool have barely laid a glove on Arteta’s side in this half.
As Arsenal swing a corner in, Jesus meets it but heads it well over the crossbar.
Credit: Getty Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
66. You can see why Liverpool turned down bids for Endo.
He may not set the world alight but he is a busy player who covers a lot of ground and reads the game well.
Arsenal come forward once again but as the ball comes into the box, Liverpool hack the ball clear.
The Gunners recycle it and Kelleher makes a good save to deny Viera.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
64. A loose pass from Odegaard sets Liverpool away.
The Gunners are quick to get numbers behind the ball to prevent Liverpool from putting Hein’s goal in danger.
Szoboszlai does brilliantly to pick out Tsimikas out onn the left but his cross into the box is too high and nobody can get to it.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
62. The tempo of the game seems to have slowed considerably.
This suits Arsenal more who prefer to have time on the ball.
Liverpool look most dangerous when playing what their previous manager described as ‘heavy metal football’.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
60. Tsimikas is penalised for a foul on Viera out wide.
If this wasn’t a pre-season friendly, the Greek full-back would have no doubt have been shown a card by now.
Liverpool counter-attack as Elliott looks to get a shot off at goal but it is easily blocked.
His teammates offered him no options other than shooting.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
58. Already in these early stages of the half, Liverpool seem to bee missing the industry and hold up play of Jota.
They are not asking the questions of the Arsenal defence that they did before the interval.
As a result, The Gunners are putting more pressure on The Reds in the final third.
Credit: AP Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
56. The Premier League love changing the rules to the game at any given opportunity.
It would be refreshing to see them clamp down on diviing.
There is no need to slow the game down, the VAR studio could just inform them of a dive and the official addresses it with a card when the ball next goes out of play.
The simulation of players trying to con the referee is making a mockery of the game.
Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
54. The Gunners force another corner, which is taken by Viera.
The cross is way too deep and nobody can get to it.
Gabriel throws himself to the ground, looking for a penalty.
As the replay shows he was pulling Stephenson’s shirt as much as he was his.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
