Liverpool 2, Arsenal 0 - 7M sport

Liverpool 2, Arsenal 0



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Posted Sunday, August 21, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

LONDON (AP)—Liverpool compounded Arsenal’s troubles by winning at the north London club for the first time in 11 years on Saturday, the 2-0 victory coming from an own goal and Luis Suarez’s strike after Emmanuel Frimpong was sent off.

Arsenal, which has one point after two Premier League matches, was booed off the Emirates Stadium pitch as the pressure mounts on Arsene Wenger.

“I feel always under pressure, not more than usual,” Wenger said. “I feel the result is very harsh on us … you want the supporters to be happy.”

Already depleted by injuries, the Gunners lost center back Laurent Koscielny after 15 minutes with a back problem and Frimpong was sent off with 20 minutes to go, sparking their downfall.

Liverpool shook up its attack and substitutes Raul Meireles and Suarez were piling the pressure on Arsenal when an attempted clearance by Ignasi Miquel, who had replaced Koscielny, came off Aaron Ramsey and looped into his own net.

Suarez secured Liverpool’s first win of the season in stoppage time, sweeping the ball into the net after latching onto a cross from Meireles.

“That was a good pair of substitutes to bring on,” Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish said. “We just wanted to see something different and we were fortunate with the first goal.”

Such misfortune reflected the increasing turmoil at Arsenal, which must travel to Italy for the second leg of its Champions League playoff against Udinese protecting a slender 1-0 lead on Wednesday with a shortage of players.

At the end of a week when captain Cesc Fabregas finally left for Barcelona, there were signs that Samir Nasri could still have a future at the club.

Despite Manchester City chasing the France midfielder, he played Saturday’s match and quickly silenced the early jeers with an energetic display.

That was epitomized in the 35th minute when he burst forward from inside own half past a pair of defenders, although his shot crept wide.

But having lost defenders Kieran Gibbs and Johan Djourou with hamstring injuries on Tuesday, Koscielny came off after 15 minutes clutching his back, forcing Wenger to give the 18-year-old Miquel his Premier League debut.

And Arsenal was being exposed at the back, with the visitors finding space to test Wojciech Szczesny.

Andy Carroll’s header was pushed away from the top corner with a double-handed save, but Jordan Henderson could not get power on nodded effort that was easily saved.

It was Liverpool looking more fluent, with Arsenal taking half an hour to prove any threat when Frimpong’s low strike was turned wide by Pepe Reina.

And the visitors started brightly in the second half, with Carroll laying the ball back for Martin Kelly, who struck the post.

Reina came to Liverpool’s rescue when Andrei Arshavin set up Robin van Persie, whose shot was saved by the goalkeeper’s legs.

But a rash challenge that caught Lucas’ shin saw Frimpong shown a second yellow card.



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