08 April 2023 , 17:05
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Arsenal head to Anfield on Sunday afternoon to take on a Liverpool side that have looked a shadow of their usual selves this season.
Despite this, there is still a sense of trepidation among the Gunners fanbase, largely due to the fact that the red half of Merseyside has been such an unhappy hunting ground for Arsenal over the years. The last time the current league-leaders won a league game at Anfield, manager Mikel Arteta was lining up in midfield.
Wins over Liverpool in general have been hard to come by for Arsenal in recent years, but they got the better of Jurgen Klopp's men back at the Emirates in October. The clash was a memorable 3-2 victory for the Gunners that saw Arteta's side respond to being pegged back twice.
Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring inside the first minute, but Darwin Nunez levelled things up mid-way through the first-half. A Bukayo Saka brace either side of a Robert Firmino goal sealed all three points for the hosts and many regarded the win as a turning point for Arsenal.
The Gunners flew out the traps this season, but it wasn't until they got the better of a giant like Liverpool that some started to believe Arteta's troops were the real deal.
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The noise that greeted the full-time whitle after that triumph felt like a significant shift in belief. Arteta's wild embrace with his coaching staff as Klopp trudged over for the customary handshake was an image few would have expected to see before kick-off.
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Gabriel Martinelli scored Arsenal's opener against Liverpool back in OctoberThe pair have had a fractured relationship in the past, with Arteta and Klopp having to be separated after a heated exchange at Anfield last season. That is likely to have made the win at the Emirates all the more sweet for the Spaniard.
According to Martinelli, emotions were still running high as the squad made their way back to the dressing room.
Speaking in the aftermath of the win late last year, the Brazilian told the Evening Standard : "I’m so happy [to beat Liverpool], a great game and a great win. I think we deserved the three points.
"It was amazing [in the dressing room at full-time]. Everyone was hugging each other. Everyone knew that it was going to be a tough game and, as I said, I think we deserved that [win].
Six months later, Arsenal gear up for the reverse sixture sitting top of the league while boasting a significant advantage over nearest challengers and reigning champions Manchester City.
With nine games left to play, a trip to Liverpool represents one of Arsenal's toughest tests left. However, the Gunners have passed just about every obstacle that has come their way thus far and a win on Sunday would be their biggest statement yet.
Back in October, Martinelli confessed the Gunners were dreaming of the title, as he revealed: “Of course we dream about it, but we leave that [talking about it] to the fans. We only think about the next game and trying to win."
Win the next game and Martinelli takes a step closer to achieving the dream he shares with so many, but Klopp and co. are out to spoilt the party.
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