Liverpool: James, Jones, Ruddock, Scales, Babb, Kennedy, Redknapp, Thomas, Barnes, McManaman, Fowler Subs: Wright (Jones h-t), Walters (Scales 57), Chamberlain
Result : Arsenal (0) 1 Liverpool (0) 1 Scorers: Fowler 90
Bookings: Schwarz, Bould Ruddock, Fowler
Att : 38036 Referee : M Bodenham (Cornwall)
Yet another disappointing performance, though I thought Arsenal were at least trying a lot harder than in some recent games. There was just a lack of inspiration and lack of help from the ref to moan about. Dixon was apparently ill or injured and was replaced by McGoldrick, and Helder replaced Hartson, with Merson moving forward to partner Wright. Arsenal started off with five at the back, but when they discovered that with Rush not playing Fowler was more or less on his own up front, Keown moved into midfield. Liverpool by contrast, played the whole match with a flat back four, with Babb at left back.
Liverpool started off the better and had the best of the early play. I can't really remember any real chances though, and as the half wore on Arsenal began to get back into it and dominated the middle section of the half. Wrighty almost scored when a lovely chip through from Hillier left him clear on the left though rather wide, and his attempt to chip James ended up on the roof of the net. Keown also had an attempt land on top of the net with a header from a corner.
Otherwise, Arsenal's best chance in the first half fell to Merson. Keown challenged Thomas as he attempted to clear just outside the area. The ball broke kindly for Keown and he laid it off neatly to Merse on his right. I thought his shot with the outside of his foot from about 16 yards was going in, but James plunged across to make a good save, holding the ball at the second attempt.
Merson also had a good shout for a penalty early on when he chased a through ball from Schwarz into the area and was barged over by Scales. The referee deemed it a fair shoulder challenge. Merson went over in the area again when Ruddock leapt into his back, but as the Liverpool defender got his head to the ball the ref decided it was a fair challenge. To add to the list of refereeing woes, Helder looked clean through late in the half when he was brought down by Jones. The ref didn't even give a free kick.
At the other end, probably the best chance of the half fell to Kennedy. A Fowler pass slid through from the middle found him and McManaman unmarked on the left side of the area. Kennedy had the shot from a similar position to that which he scored from for Millwall, but this time put the ball narrowly wide of the near post. McManaman and Thomas both had well hit shots from the edge of the area late in the half, but both were straight at Seaman and he caught both cleanly.
Mark Wright replaced Jones at half time with Scales going to right back, but the change did little to disrupt the Liverpool defence. In fact I'm having trouble recalling any Arsenal chances of note. The best was probably when Wright broke from the halfway line, played the ball wide to Merson on the right. Merse beat Babb to get to the byline and pull back a cross to the near post, where Hillier's attempt was blocked by Mark Wright. The other main opportunities were from free kicks a few yards outside the box. Schwarz forced James into reasonably comfortable saves from two of them. One had been awarded when Ruddock hauled down Merson when he looked as though he was clean through. The ref merely waved the yellow card.
Helder did fashion one half chance for Wright, but his snap left foot volley from about 12 yards flew high and wide. As the half wore on, Liverpool on the other hand began to look more and more dangerous. McManaman was played through, Seaman was out quickly to block and then reacted superbly to tip over Fowler's follow up. About five minutes from time Fowler was put through down the left, jinked inside Adams I think to leave himself with only Seaman to beat from about 8 yards. Fortunately it was on his right foot and he blasted it over the bar.
McManaman went on another mazy run just before time, but his attempted curler from 15 yards went just the wrong side of the post. With 90 minutes up on the clock it was another tricky McManaman run which set up the winning goal. McGoldrick's lack of pace left McManaman free to run on down the left and though Keown, charging back, managed to catch him, McManaman tricked his way inside him and played a simple ball across the face of goal to Fowler, unmarked at the far post. Even on his right foot he couldn't miss from 5 yards.
So another sickening last minute loss which really makes the game against Ipswich a must-win one. To be fair, it should be remembered that this was a good Liverpool side, though the failure to breach a twice disrupted defence in the 2nd half was disappointing. Michael Thomas ended up at right back after Scales also went off injured. I also thought Arsenal's man of the match was Martin Keown. He even played some nice passes in midfield and did a lot of chasing back to cover for McGoldrick. I'm against capital punishment in principle, but on his performance last night Eddie ought at least to be made to watch a video of Arsenal's performances this season, introduced by Gary Lineker, or something.
I thought Wrighty looked a lot more interested last night, though it's true some of his passing was rather awful, and he and Merson didn't quite seem to be on the same wavelength most of the time. Merson was carried off about five minutes from time with worrying looking injury. He appeared to twist his knee as he volleyed a pass. Let's hope it wasn't as serious as it looked.
Report by Derek Brownjohn