Arsenal face Liverpool in the FA Cup third round this weekend, a tie both teams will have been disappointed with when the draw was made.
Currently competing at the top end of the Premier League table, it’s a huge match up in the early rounds of the cup competition. Throughout the years, the sides have staged several unforgettable showdowns outside of league action, and we’ve decided to remember five of the very best.
Five great cup clashes between Arsenal and Liverpool:
Liverpool 4-2 Arsenal – League Cup (1996)
Robbie Fowler scored twice as Liverpool edged a six-goal thriller when the teams met in the League Cup’s fourth round in 1996.
Arsenal had taken the lead through an early Ian Wright penalty inside 13 minutes, but Steve McManaman brought the teams level before the half hour. Fowler’s first of the night came from the penalty spot and handed Liverpool the advantage at half-time, before a second strike from the Scouser put daylight between the teams.
Arsenal were awarded a second spot-kick and Wright converted to give the Gunners hope, but a strike from Patrik Berger – signed in the summer after impressing during the Czech Republic’s run to the final of the 1996 European Championship in England – sealed the win and progress for Liverpool.
Arsenal 1-2 Liverpool – FA Cup final (2001)
Michael Owen scored a brilliant brace as Liverpool came from behind to stun Arsenal in the FA Cup final.
Arsenal had dominated the game for much of the contest at a sun-soaked Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, the first final held in the Welsh capital after the closure of the old Wembley.
The North London side put Liverpool under huge pressure for long periods, with the Reds requiring an unpunished goal-line handball from Stephane Henchoz, and multiple goal-line clearances from Sami Hyypia, to keep them in the game.
Freddie Ljungberg’s goal handed Arsenal a deserved lead late on, as the Swedish midfielder latched onto Robert Pires’ pass to round the goalkeeper and fire home. As the game entered the final seven minutes, the cup appeared London-bound.
However, Gerard Houllier’s Liverpool side, chasing a cup treble, had other ideas. A late set piece ended in an equaliser, as the loose ball dropped invitingly for Owen to acrobatically find the bottom corner.
Minutes later, Owen found a winner.
Patrik Berger’s long pass forward sent the striker scampering away, with the 21-year-old accelerating past the ageing Lee Dixon and Tony Adams in a mismatch of pace. From a narrow angle, Owen nestled a left-footed finish into the far corner, snatching the FA Cup for Liverpool with two minutes remaining.
In the blink of an eye, Owen’s electricity had turned the game on its head.
Iconic Performances: The ‘Michael Owen FA Cup Final’
Liverpool 3-6 Arsenal – League Cup (2007)
Julio Baptista ran riot as Arsenal thrashed Liverpool to advance to the League Cup semi-finals in 2007.
Two seasons before Andrey Arshavin wrote his name into Premier League folklore with a four-goal haul for Arsenal at Anfield, Baptista scored four goals of his own on a memorable night on Merseyside.
The Brazilian has largely failed to live up to the reputation that saw him nicknamed “The Beast” at former club Sevilla, but a monstrous performance at Liverpool saw the loan signing star.
January 9, 2007: Liverpool 3-6 Arsenal
When The Beast bossed Anfield 😎@J_Baptista81 💪 pic.twitter.com/q8lUS1MPRp
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 9, 2019
Robbie Fowler’s equaliser had cancelled out Jeremie Aliadiere’s opener for Arsenal, before Baptista took control of the contest with a free-kick and tap-in, either side of an Alex Song effort. Arsenal, who had eliminated Liverpool from the FA Cup just three days earlier, led 4-1 at the interval.
Baptista missed the chance to score his hat-trick from the penalty spot, but claimed the match ball on the hour with his third of the night. Goals from Steven Gerrard and Sami Hyypia put respectability on the scoreline for Liverpool, but this was Baptista’s night.
The forward scored Arsenal’s sixth, and his fourth, late on to set up a semi-final showdown with Tottenham.
Liverpool 4-2 Arsenal – Champions League (2008)
Rafael Benitez’s Liverpool side were involved in some memorable all-English tussles in the Champions League, with unforgettable clashes against Chelsea and Arsenal in Europe.
The 2007/08 quarter-finals saw the Reds take on Arsenal, with the tie evenly poised after a 1-1 first-leg draw in North London.
Abou Diaby put Arsenal into the lead in the return at Anfield, but Sami Hyypia escaped his marker to power home an equaliser for Liverpool.
🔴 Liverpool 4-2 Arsenal, quarter-finals…
🔥 Six-goal thriller at Anfield #OTD in 2008!🤔 Best goal?@LFC | #UCL pic.twitter.com/C31JDHib6x
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 8, 2021
Fernando Torres swivelled to smash in a second for Liverpool, who looked to have won it, until a scintillating solo run from Theo Walcott set up Emmanuel Adebayor to put Arsenal ahead on away goals in the 84th minute.
An enthralling end-to-end game swung once more, however, as Kolo Toure brought down Ryan Babel inside the box two minutes later. Steven Gerrard slammed home the spot-kick, before Babel broke away on the counter-attack to score a fourth for Liverpool and send the Reds through.
Liverpool 5-5 Arsenal – League Cup (2019)
Liverpool beat Arsenal on penalties in the League Cup after an astonishing 10-goal game at Anfield in 2019.
Divock Origi’s 94th-minute equaliser had sent the game to a shootout as Liverpool fought back to level late on. In an action-packed contest, Arsenal had taken the lead on three occasions, having bounced back from the setback of Shkodran Mustafi’s early own goal.
Goals from Lucas Torreira, Gabriel Martinelli (2), Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Joe Willock had given Arsenal leads of 3-1, 4-2 and 5-4, but each time the Reds found a response.
James Milner’s penalty and an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain stunner against his old side offered replies for Liverpool, before Origi’s brace – including a stoppage-time scissor kick – sent the tie to penalties.
Caoimhin Kelleher saved Dani Ceballos’ penalty, allowing Curtis Jones to convert the winner in the shootout. It was only the second time that Liverpool had conceded five goals in a home match in 66 years, with the other occasion the 6-3 League Cup defeat to Arsenal mentioned earlier in this list.
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