From title-deciders, European knockouts and cup finals to goal-laden draws, tight wins and thrashings, Liverpool vs Arsenal is one of the most entertaining fixtures in English football. Whenever the Reds face the Gunners, drama is guaranteed.
It looks certain to be the case one more when Jurgen Klopp ’s side take on Mikel Arteta’s men for the fourth time this season, and 11th time over the past three campaigns, on Wednesday night. Win and Liverpool will move one point behind league-leaders Man City in the Premier League table, ensuring the title-race is in their hands. Drop points and their title hopes will have been dealt a crushing blow.
With Arsenal currently sitting fourth in the table, a point ahead of fifth-placed Manchester United with three games in hand, the Gunners will be no pushovers. Looking to compete in the Champions League for the first time since 2017, they need the points almost as much as the Reds.
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They needed the points too when Liverpool travelled to the Emirates for a memorable encounter back in April 2011. However, on that occasion it was the Gunners who were in Premier League title contention.
Unbeaten in their last 14 league matches, they looked certain to move five points behind league-leaders Manchester United with six games to go after Robin van Persie scored a stoppage-time 98th minute penalty against the Reds following Jay Spearing’s foul on Cesc Fabregas.
The fourth official had indicated a minimum of eight minutes' stoppage time after Jamie Carragher had received lengthy treatment for a nasty head injury.
However, further drama was to follow moments later when Emmanuel Eboue brought down Lucas Leiva in the box, prompting Andre Marriner to award a second spot-kick. With Arsenal’s title-hopes hanging in the balance, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was clearly displeased as he clashed with Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish on the sidelines.
The Scot’s second spell in the Reds dugout was hardly as successful as his first, though he did lead Liverpool to some memorable wins, signed Luis Suarez and lifted the 2012 League Cup too. However, his x-rated exchange with Wenger that day on the sidelines remains one of the more memorable from his most-recent return to management.
With the Frenchman marching over to him with his arms outstretched, insisting Marriner had made the wrong decision, Dalglish, unaware that the cameras were on him at the time, gestured dismissively while replying, “That’s a penalty! Ah p**s off! It’s a penalty! F**k off!”
Dirk Kuyt would step up to score the penalty, with his 102nd minute strike the latest in Premier League history, to earn Liverpool a 1-1 draw. The result left Arsenal six points behind Manchester United and prompted a miserable end to the season as they won just one of their last seven matches and actually ended the campaign in fourth, falling 12 points behind the Red Devils and being overtaken by both Chelsea and Man City.
Wenger would dispute the award of the penalty again after the final whistle when speaking to reporters. "I said to Dalglish it was not a penalty," he said. "That was all. You can check it on the television.
“I feel we were hard done-by. We conceded a penalty after 11 minutes when the referee said there was eight minutes of injury time. I don't see where those three minutes came from and it was no penalty.
"We were told after the free-kick (before Eboue's challenge), it's game over. Lucas stopped in his way and stopped his run. Eboué goes for the ball, not the player."
In contrast, Dalglish pretended the x-rated exchange hadn’t happened while insisting Marriner had made the correct decision and taking issue with being asked about the clash with Wenger in the first place.
"My opinion about the two penalty decisions is that there was one right and one wrong," he said. "I don't want to repeat what was said. I don't know why a conversation between managers on the bench is of any relevance after a game like that. I just told him there I still owe him dinner. There's no problem."
When Liverpool travelled to Arsenal again the following August, Dalglish had buried the hatchet with Wenger following their touchline bust-up.
“Nah,” was the Scot’s reply when asked if he would resume his spat with the Frenchman. “We shook hands after the game and on the pitch but they never showed that on TV. We had a chat after the game as well. I’ve never had a problem with Arsene and I wouldn’t ever anticipate one.”
