Liverpool vs. Arsenal

5-1, Premier League, Anfield, 08 February 2014
Arteta 69 (pen)

Ahead of the game there was only expectations and hope, twenty minutes into the game there was only deafening disappointment.

In the very first minute of the game Liverpool took the lead, but unjustly so. As a free-kick was swung in, Skrtel was in an offside position before he got a leg to the ball and scored from close range, and from then on things only got worse. We did have one chance in the first half, a Monreal run was spotted by Wilshere and when Mignolet came out to clear it it bounced off of a defender back into Monreal's path, unfortunately a second defender was there to clear it before the Spaniard could tuck it in.
   In the following minute Szczesny made a save as Liverpool got a shot away, and the minute after that the second goal was scored. Once again it was Skrtel, this time it was a header following a corner that did the trick.
   The coming ten minutes proved increasingly dark, starting with a Sturridge chip going wide and a Suarez shot hitting the post and culminating in two more goals for Liverpool. Sterling and Sturridge got one each as the former was completely unmarked at the edge of the box and Koscielny was unable to keep up with the latter as he surged forward down the centre.
   Needless to say our first half can only be described as consisting of one thing: shocking defending.

At the start of the second half Cazorla had a free-kick deflected over the bar for a corner, a positive indicator that proved false. For five minutes later Sturridge scored another goal, Szczesny saved the first shot but could do nothing to deny the rebound. Once again we displayed absolutely shocking defending.
   At least we got the last word in the game, goal-wise, and building up to that we had a few chances. Giroud headed straight at the 'keeper and Oxlade-Chamberlain saw his effort saved by Mignolet as well. Before our consolation goal (if you can even call it that) Szczesny had to make a save as Suarez's tricky free-kick approached the top corner of the goal.
   We were awarded with a penalty as Oxlade-Chamberlain was brought down, and Mikel Arteta scored from the penalty spot.

Unfortunately that proved to be all that we would get out of the game, a very dismal, disappointing and down-right terrible game. We have some tough games up ahead and now we quite decidedly need to win them, starting with Manchester United on Wednesday. Following the result today, we will quite certainly lose the top spot, again, but this time risk falling down to third.