Liverpool fall at first fence to Gunners

FT Liverpool 1 Arsenal 3

Arsenal sent the FA Cup holders crashing out of this season’s competition with a clinical display at Anfield.

Liverpool battered away at the Gunners but found themselves 2-0 down at half-time after a quickfire double from Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky.

The home side pulled a goal back through Dirk Kuyt’s close-range header, but Arsenal captain Thierry Henry killed off the Merseysiders six minutes from time.

These sides now meet again at the same venue on Tuesday in the Carling Cup quarter-final – and after completing two victories now over Liverpool this term already, the Gunners will fancy their chances of a hat-trick.

Both sides used stand-in goalkeepers – Jerzy Dudek getting a rare run-out for Liverpool and Manuel Almunia in for Arsenal, who also had right-back Emmanuel Eboue returning after a knee problem.

Almunia was under the greater pressure for much of the first 20 minutes, when Liverpool’s sustained spell of possession and attacking brought everything but a goal.

The Kop made themselves heard in the opening stages, demanding justice for those who died at Hillsborough in 1989 – a controversial subject which has come to the fore again recently.

Arsenal, though, concentrated on their jobs and were not distracted, keeping Liverpool at bay.

Henry almost punished Liverpool for their offensive attitude when he threaded a ball through for Rosicky – but Dudek got there first.

Off-the-ball incidents resulted in bookings for Gunnrs defenders Phillippe Senderos and Gael Clichy, with much of their steel aimed at Xabi Alonso.

But the Spaniard was cautioned before they were – for diving by referee Steve Bennett after a 25th-minute challenge by Gilberto.

The Kent official was just a few feet away and had his yellow card out instantly, but TV replays showed the Arsenal man did, in fact, connect with the Liverpool player.