We exited the FA Cup at the third round stage after Liverpool netted twice in the last 10 minutes to progress at Emirates Stadium.
In a game that didn’t truly reflect the scoreline, we hit the crossbar early on through Martin Odegaard during a dominant opening period, but Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota would taste the same misfortune either side of the break for the visitors.
And it was the Reds full-back who put in the free-kick that was accidentally diverted into his own net by Jakub Kiwior 10 minutes from time, before Luis Diaz added another with seconds remaining to rub salt into the wounds.
Odegaard goes close
Looking to end a three-game wait for a win which started 15 days earlier at Anfield, we came out firing and somehow didn’t find ourselves in front during a blistering first 15 minutes.
A couple of minutes had passed when Reiss Nelson nearly grabbed his first goal of the campaign when a brilliant pass by Aaron Ramsdale sent him scampering towards Alisson, but after he rounded the keeper he couldn’t quite squeeze the ball home from a tight angle.
Then after Kai Havertz - tasked with leading our line - curled a shot goalwards that was parried by the opposition shot-stopper, he linked up with Bukayo Saka after the winger pounced on some defensive hesitation to cut the ball back from the byline, and after Nelson saw an effort well-blocked, Odegaard rattled the crossbar.
Jurgen Klopp’s team weathered the storm and managed to stem the flow of attacks heading towards the Clock End, but they struggled to create much throughout the opening half although Darwin Nunez did steer a header just wide of the far post after rising highest at a corner midway through the half.
Woodwork rattled again
Bringing the lead into the interval would have been fully deserved for Arteta’s team, and another couple of great opportunities went begging within seconds of each other. Firstly, Ben White drilled a first-time effort from the edge of the box goalwards which Alisson did well to tip over, but from the resulting corner Havertz seemed destined to steer home Saka’s delivery, but screwed a free header wide.
However on the stroke of half-time, the Reds ventured forward when Cody Gakpo was allowed the freedom to press forward, and he found Alexander-Arnold who fizzed a shot past Ramsdale but he too struck the woodwork as both sides went into the half-time break fancying their chances of reaching the fourth round.
Liverpool though were much better in the second half, showing signs of the team top of the Premier League and having lost just once domestically all season. Joe Gomez and Curtis Jones blazed shots over early in the second half, and on 53 minutes Nunez burst down the left, cut inside and took aim but the curling effort flashed just wide of Ramsdale’s far post.
But in an end-to-end half, back we came again and a clever free-kick routine saw Odegaard slide in the undetected Havertz however Saka hooked the cross off target from close range, and the German then saw a mis-hit cross cause Alisson issues but the Brazilian custodian did well to prevent it creeping over his head.
Double whammy
Somehow the game entered the final 15 minutes goalless, but the Reds then enjoyed a flurry of chances to try and knock us out of the competition, and they would make them pay.
Firstly Ramsdale made an excellent low reaction save to prevent Diaz from snatching the lead after Jota wriggled around in the box, and then from the corner the Portuguese playmaker saw a header hit the crossbar yet again, before Nunez spooned the rebound over.
But with 10 minutes to play, Klopp’s team did find a way to get in front. After they won a free-kick on the left flank, Alexander-Arnold whipped in a fierce delivery which Kiwior inadvertently flicked backwards, and beat his own goalkeeper to send the travelling fans wild.
In the final few moments Mikel Arteta threw on a host of attacking players to try and keep us in the hat for the fourth round, but ultimately it would be our opponents who would score in the final few seconds to guarantee their progression.
Nunez once again instigated it down the left wing, and Jota picked out Diaz who thrashed the ball into the top corner to put an unfair reflection on the scoreline, but ultimately knock us out of the cup.
What’s next
We have a winter break now until we’re next in action when we take on Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, January 20, and then with our cup interest ended, we have another 10 days before taking on Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
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