Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool ( Adebayor/ Kuyt)
Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool ( Bendtner/ Crouch)
Liverpool ?- ? Arsenal
Yes folks, Arsenal and Liverpool meet for the third time in a week, and this one is probably the most important of them all, with a spot in the last four of the Champions League at stake.
The sad part- at best, there can be three English teams in the last four. One of Arsenal or Liverpool will have to say goodbye to the competition at this stage.
And given that Liverpool scored the crucial away goal at the Emirates Stadium, even Arsene Wenger will have to acknowledge that Rafa Benitez is the man more likely to walk out with a smile at the end of Tuesday night’s game. Liverpool have always played better in Europe, and the rules of the game don’t seem to apply to them in this competition. Ask Barcelona. Ask Inter Milan. Ask Chelsea. Ask A.C. Milan, who thought that the 2005 CL was all but in their pocket at 3-0, but were stunned by a Liverpool revival.
Arsenal were clearly the better side last week. Wenger and his boys may curse Pieter Vink for not spotting Dirk Kuyt’s foul, but that is history now. Neither can they blame their own Nicklas Bendtner who unfortunately prevented Cesc Fabregas’ shot from going in.
Liverpool still don’t have Agger, and that means they will stick to their usual back four of Aurelio- Hyypia- Skrtel- Carragher. Most of Arsenal’s attacks came down the left flank in the first leg, with Hleb and Clichy constantly posing threats. Dirk Kuyt, who plays on the right wing these days, was constantly forced to defend.
A goal in any form will do for Arsenal. I doubt Liverpool will go for a 0-0, but they can enforce a shutout if the need arises. Van Persie has been included in the side, but whether he will start or not is another issue.
Benitez may startle everyone if he starts with Peter Crouch instead of Torres. Crouch is tall and may pose problems to Toure and Senderos, while Torres possesses remarkable ball control and pace. Gerrard and Torres have formed an understanding of sorts. Benitez may not want to disturb that by playing Crouch and that too in this fixture.
Jermaine Pennant is out. No Kewell. No Rosicky. That leaves us with Hleb, Babel, Fabregas and Gerrard to provide the creative sparks.
I think Liverpool can do this. If this was in the Premier League, or the League Cup or any other domestic competition for that matter, I’d have backed Arsenal.
But this is Europe. This is Liverpool’s domain.