Arsenal steps up against Liverpool

Published 12:35 am Tuesday, November 5, 2013

In one of the biggest games of the season thus far, at least in terms of the English Premier League table, Liverpool went to London on Saturday to face off against Arsenal in a match pitting two teams eager to prove themselves as legitimate title contenders.

The Gunners had lost their last two at home, both in cup competitions, and their form at Emirates Stadium has not been the best, with the nervy North London fans groaning as much as cheering at times.

But it was Arsenal that was clearly the top side after 90 minutes, scoring a 2-0 victory. They moved five points clear with 25 after 10 games; Liverpool, along with Chelsea and Tottenham, sits in second with 20 points.

The key battle of the game was the Liverpool strike force of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge against the central defensive pairing of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny.

Suarez and Sturridge (coined SAS by the British media) had a few chances here and there, but the partnership of the lumbering German and resilient Frenchman were able to keep Liverpool scoreless, something the Reds had only done once in nine prior EPL games.

Arsenal also won the tactical battle. Reds manager Brendan Rodgers has been toying with a 3-5-2 formation in recent weeks, but was forced to revert to a back four at halftime after Liverpool was unable to cope with Arsene Wenger’s marauding midfielders.

The creative trio of Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky was too much to handle, with Cazorla putting the Gunners on top with a technically brilliant volley after his header bounced back off the post to him. Player of the Year candidate Aaron Ramsey sealed the victory with yet another wonder strike from 20 yards out.

Ultimately the game was decided by defensive solidity. Along with Mertesacker and Koscielny, Bacary Sagna, Kieran Gibbs, Mikel Arteta and Ramsey put up a wall that frustrated SAS as well as midfielders Steven Gerrard and Coutinho. Even Cazorla tracked back tirelessly, earning Man of the Match plaudits from many.

Liverpool fell back down to earth as SAS proved fallible and the defense remained leaky. Meanwhile Arsenal can take confidence from the win in the midst of a daunting run of games.

After losing to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and Chelsea in the Capital One Cup at home, the Gunners now head to Germany on Wednesday for the return UCL fixture at one of the best environments in the world: Signal Iduna Park. As if that weren’t enough, Arsenal heads to Old Trafford to face a Manchester United squad that’s won four straight.

Add a must-win Champions League match with Marseille and a visit from sixth-place Southampton and the Liverpool win was just the start for Arsenal.

But for the moment the Gunners are on top and somewhere Piers Morgan is smiling.

SOCCER SNIPPETS:

GOALIE GOAL: It’s not unheard of, but it’s always noteworthy when a goalie scores. On Saturday, Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic did just that, booting a shot that one-hopped his counterpart, Southampton’s Artur Boruc, and into the net a mere 13 seconds into the game.

As is often the case in goals like this, wind played a factor. Goalies will say they practice it, but Begovic’s goal was only the fifth from a keeper in the history of the English Premier League. And usually when a goalkeeper scores, it’s off a set piece late in the game with everyone thrown forward.

MLS PLAYOFFS: It’s November, which means the Houston Dynamo are making a move in the Major League Soccer postseason.

After mauling the imploding Impact 3-0 on Thursday, the Dynamo hosted the Supporters Shield-winning New York Red Bulls on Sunday. The short turn-around may have factored into a slow start, during which New York took a 2-0 lead. But Houston rallied to salvage a 2-2 draw before heading north for Wednesday’s return leg.

In other action, a laser shot from Sean Franklin gave the defending champion L.A. Galaxy a 1-0 win in the first leg against Real Salt Lake and New England scored a 2-1 victory over Sporting KC. Most shockingly, star-studded Seattle lost to bitter rival Portland 2-1, only managing a late consolation before heading back to the Emerald City.

It all sets up nicely for Wednesday’s and Thursday’s second legs, with everything to play for as all series are within one goal.