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Live Commentary: Liverpool 0-2 Arsenal - as it happened

Sports Mole brings you live commentary of Nuri Sahin's debut as Liverpool take on Arsenal at Anfield with both sides looking for their first win of the season.

Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of Arsenal's trip to Liverpool.

Despite being regarded as two of the biggest clubs in the Premier League, neither of these sides have managed to record a win from their opening two matches of the new season.

Even worse for the visiting Gunners, they are yet to find the net in the wake of Robin van Persie's departure.

Something will have to give today. Who will be celebrating come the final whistle?


3.26pmThat's all we have time for here, but stay tuned with Sports Mole because we have live commentary of Manchester United's trip to Southampton coming up. Enjoy and thanks for joining us!

3.25pmThere was actually a few jeers from the home faithful on the final whistle. They may have dominated, but Liverpool struggled to create anything in front of goal. From an Arsenal point of view, they'll be happy with their work this afternoon.

3.22pmFULL TIME: Liverpool 0-1 Arsenal

90 minFour minutes of stoppage time to be played...

90 minSUBSTITUTION: Skipper Vermaelen limps off to be replaced by Laurent Koscielny.

88 minCHANCE! Liverpool's best chance of the match. Gerrard feeds Suarez inside the area but the striker tries to be too clever with a chipped effort and the ball sails over. Had he put his laces through that, it could have been a different story.

86 minCHANCE! Just as I say that, they almost score! Shelvey drives straight at Mannone, with Vermaelen on hand to hack clear the rebound. Great defending from the Belgium international.

85 minFive to go and Liverpool still do not look like scoring. You'd expect a side at home that are 2-0 down to be peppering the opposition's goal at this point.

81 minSUBSTITUTION: Goalscorer Podolski comes off as Andre Santos enters the action. Nine minutes to go.

80 minThe best way I can describe this match now is like a pre-season friendly. Liverpool seem to have accepted that they are not getting back in this.

76 minArsenal are more than happy to allow Liverpool to have possession at the moment, safe in the knowledge that their hosts have struggled to create so far.

72 minSUBSTITUTION: Arsenal's Oxlade-Chamberlain is done for the afternoon. His place has been taken by Aaron Ramsey.

70 minThis match has showed just how much work there is to do for Rodgers at Anfield. His side have been by no means poor, yet they haven't really looked like scoring.

68 minFair play to Arsenal. They've been dominated at times, but they find themselves two goals in front. Cazorla is the goalscorer on the occasion as he drills in from an acute angle. Reina will not be happy with the part he played though - the ball seemed to squirm in underneath his body.

67 minGOAL! Liverpool 0-2 Arsenal (Cazorla)

66 minSUBSTITUTION: Sahin (genuinely forget he was playing) is replaced by Jonjo Shelvey.

65 minCHANCE! And for all that possession, Liverpool were almost 2-0 down. Cazorla drills goalwards from 20 yards out, but the ball skids just wide of the upright.

64 minLiverpool have really piled on the pressure in the last five minutes. They haven't managed to create too much, but it's better from Rodgers's side.

59 minIf Suarez ever wonders why he is not overly popular with opposition supporters, here's why! He's barley touched by Vermaelen, yet rolls around on the floor clutching his shin. Even referee Webb orders him to get on his feet.

57 minCHANCE! Clever flick from Downing finds Suarez on the edge of the area. The Uruguayan drives at goal, but Mannone tips over with ease.

55 minPENALTY APPEAL! Third shout from Liverpool! Suarez is adamant Thomas Vermaelen handled the ball inside the area, but Webb says no. Liverpool are looking a little desperate at the moment.

54 minSUBSTITUTION: Borini off, Stewart Downing on for Liverpool. That's the best thing Borini has done all game!!

52 minCHANCE! Smart save from Reina following a good move from Arsenal. Goalscorer Podolski plays in Gibbs, whose low drive is pushed away by Reina from close range.

50 minPENALTY APPEAL! Mertesacker survives another scare! Suarez moves to meet a cross from Gerrard but tumbles under a challenge from the German defender. Once again Webb waves play on.

47 minBOOKING! Not quite sure what Martin Skrtel was thinking there. He ploughs through the back of Abou Diaby. Certain yellow card.

45 minAnyway, back to the action. Arsenal start the second half.

2.33pmJust been reminded of Liverpool's bench. No disrespect to the seven players on there, but it's hardly inspiring! Letting Carroll go without a replacement could come back to haunt Rodgers.

2.19pmAnd for those looking to pass some time during the break, here's our half-time report.

2.19pmLiverpool may have dominated large parts of that half, but the truth is they should be two behind - not just one. Despite leading Arsenal can only get better, while Rodgers will be looking for more from his side in the final third.

2.17pmHALF-TIME: Liverpool 0-1 Arsenal

45 minTwo minutes of stoppage time to be played.

40 minCHANCE! And quite simply, Arsenal should be two goals to the good. Giroud finds himself with time and space inside the area, but he shoots horribly wide. The Frenchman is struggling to replicate his Ligue 1 form from last season at the moment.

39 minPENALTY APPEAL! Sterling is causing all sorts of problems to Arsenal at the moment. Here he goes down inside the area following a challenge from Mertesacker, but the German appears to get a slight touch on the ball.

37 minOFF THE POST! Unlucky from Liverpool youngster Sterling, who wriggles free of his marker inside the area - only for his left footed shot to strike the outside of the post.

33 minLiverpool boss Rodgers will not be a happy man. His side may have not created much, but they've dominated most of this game.

32 minThat's the German's first goal in an Arsenal shirt. It's also the first time they have found the net this season. "He scores when he wants" sing the travelling faithful.

31 minWhere an earth did that come from?! Gerrard gives the ball away inside the Arsenal half and the Gunners break. Cazorla threads through a ball to Podolski, who takes one touch before slotting the ball underneath an advancing Reina.

30 minGOAL! Liverpool 0-1 Arsenal (Podolski)

27 minBut Gerrard's low effort is blocked by the advancing well. The skipper isn't happy, but Webb ignores his protests that the wall was not 10 yards away.

26 minBOOKING! Another caution for Arsenal. Mikel Arteta brings down Sterling on the edge of the area, leaving Webb no choice but to issue to a yellow card. Big chance from this free-kick.

25 minStill very little to report. Liverpool are the better side without question but they don't really look like scoring at the moment.

21 minAround 20 minutes gone and Arsenal have done very little so far. There was a time when they used control possession against any side that they played - home or away.

17 minBut they don't! Lucky Borini!

17 minFree-kick to Arsenal wide on the left as Borini trips up Gibbs. If the Gunners score from this, it will sum Borini's afternoon so far!

14 minBorini really is having a bit of nightmare at the moment. Arsenal defender Carl Jenkinson gifts the pint-sized Italian possession. However, his cross is poor and the danger is cleared. Sign up Owen!

11 minCHANCE! At last Arsenal get involved in this game! The hosts fail to clear and the ball drops to Santi Cazorla on the edge of the box. The Spanish international drills in a shot but it is held by his compatriot Pepe Reina.

10 minCHANCE! Another wasted effort from Borini. Sterling and Suarez link to release the Italian, who misses the target from an acute angle.

9 minWith nine minutes gone Arsenal are yet to make any impression in this game. It's been all Liverpool, although we've seen very little of the new boy Sahin.

7 minIt's Suarez who hits it, but the ball flies high, wide and not very handsome.

6 minBOOKING! Per Mertesacker is punished for pulling down Suarez. Liverpool now have a free-kick in a good position around 25 yards from goal.

5 minCHANCE! First shot of the match is taken by Fabio Borini, who scuffs wide from 20 yards out. Perhaps a pass to skipper Steven Gerrard wide on the right would have been the better option.

2 minThe hosts have started the brighter of the two sides here, but as yet they haven't created a goalscoring chance. Still real early days mind you.

1.30pmLiverpool, kicking from right to left, get this match underway...

1.29pmIncidentally, Howard Webb will referee this match.

1.26pmRight, back to the game. The players are heading onto the Anfield turf. Just two or three minutes away from the off now.

1.24pmPerhaps Michael Owen will be heading back to Anfield on a free transfer? Don't laugh! It may happen. Read all about it here.

1.21pmGoals were also hard to come by for Liverpool at times last season. Luis Suarez was their top scorer with 11 in the Premier League. Having let Andy Carroll go to West Ham on loan, they look a little light up top.

1.18pm...However, they did concede eight!

1.18pmSwitching to Arsenal, they also did not score during their first two games of last season. They ended that barren run in their third match against Manchester United with two goals...

1.15pmLiverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has been talking to Sky Sports News pre-match regarding the lack of signings that he made on deadline day. He doesn't seem to chirpy to be honest!: "[Signing players] was always the plan. We would like to have strengthened of course but my focus and concentration now is on the players we have got."

1.08pmHere's who Arsene Wenger has selected: Mannone; Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Diaby, Arteta, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla; Podolski, Giroud

1.07pmAs for travelling Arsenal, they have England winger Theo Walcott on the bench. They are also missing goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who failed a late fitness test.

1.06pmHere is the Liverpool team in full: Reina; Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Jose Enrique; Gerrard, Allen, Sahin; Borini, Suarez, Sterling

1.05pmFrom a Liverpool point of view, the big news is that Nuri Sahin has been given his debut following his loan move from Real Madrid. The Turkish international is believed to have turned down a similar switch to Arsenal so it will be interesting to see whether he makes the Gunners regret their failure to land him.

1.03pmAnyway, enough of my waffling - let's bring you the all important team news.

1.02pmA repeat of the 4-4 that these two played out back in 2009 would be nice. Although I'm not too sure that my typing hands would agree with that!

1.01pmAfternoon everybody. As mentioned above, these two sides have struggled for form so far this season. Let's hope they both improve for the next 90 minutes or so!
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal34245582265677
2Manchester CityMan City33237380324876
3Liverpool34228475344174
4Aston Villa34206871502166
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs32186865491660
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd33165125150153
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle331551369541550
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham34139125463-948
9Chelsea32138116157447
10Bournemouth34129134960-1145
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton331111115254-244
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves34127154654-843
13Fulham34126165054-442
14Crystal Palace34109154456-1239
15Brentford3498175259-735
16Everton34118153648-1233
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3479184260-1826
18Luton TownLuton3467214775-2825
19Burnley3458213769-3223
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd3437243392-5916


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