January 07, (THEWILL) – Liverpool emerged victorious in the FA Cup third round after an own goal and stoppage-time strike saw them overcome Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates.
Despite missing key players like Van Dijk and Salah, Liverpool dug deep to grit out a hard-fought win against an Arsenal side that created numerous chances but failed to capitalise. Stand-in captain Alexander-Arnold provided the cross that forced Kiwior’s unfortunate own goal before Diaz wrapped up the win with a powerful finish in added time.
It marked a fourth defeat in seven games for the Gunners, leaving manager Arteta with issues to address during their mid-season break. Liverpool meanwhile battle on, still competing across four fronts as 2024 gets underway.
In a game of fine margins, Arsenal will rue missed first-half opportunities that could have put the game beyond Liverpool’s reach. Havertz was guilty of wasting several openings, while strikes from Nelson and Odegaard struck the woodwork.
Liverpool grew into the game in the second period, going close through the likes of Nunez and Jones, before Alexander-Arnold’s delivery broke the deadlock via the outstretched Kiwior. Diaz then punished Arsenal on the counter to send the sizeable travelling Kop into raptures.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
