A record-breaking Women's Super League crowd of 54,115 were in attendance at Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon, yet we were unable to kickstart our season with a win.
A second-half goal from Liverpool's Miri Taylor was the only difference between the two sides as we fell to only our second opening-day defeat in WSL history.
What happened
There was early dominance from our Gunners, winning four corners in the opening ten minutes and refusing to allow the visitors outside their own half.
In one of our closest chances of the half, Lotte Wubben-Moy rose well for a header but saw her effort denied by Rachel Laws in the Liverpool goal.
Shortly after, Katie McCabe let fly from range and just as her shot began dipping under the crossbar, the outstretched hand of Laws pushed it over.
After yet another corner kick, Steph Catley whipped in a cross that was collected by Frida Maanum in the area. The Norwegian’s powerful volley was on target but Laws once again denied a chance to break the deadlock.
Caitlin Foord and WSL debutant Cloe Lacasse threatened from their respective wings but the Reds continued to frustrate us with bodies in the box and a low block.
A moment of magic from Kim Little saw our skipper shrug off her defender and strike the ball cleanly, yet Liverpool's keeper was equal to the shot and we headed down the tunnel on level terms.
The Reds came out flying after the restart and were rewarded for it - an unmarked Miri Taylor in the box giving the visitors the lead in the 48th minute.
A triple substitution from Eidevall at the 60-minute mark saw Frida Maanum, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Cloe Lacasse make way for Victoria Pelova, Amanda Ilestedt and Lina Hurtig, as we tried to force a breakthrough.
Several goal-line clearances from Liverpool kept the visitors narrowly in front, with substitute Stina Blackstenius coming close to getting on the end of Lia Walti's perfectly-threaded pass.
In the end, however, our Gunners were unable to find the much-needed breakthrough and we fell to only our second opening-day defeat in WSL history.
What it means
We're back in action next week with an away trip to Manchester United on October 6. Kick-off is at 7.30pm UK time.
Team news
Arsenal starting XI: Zinsberger (GK), McCabe, Wubben-Moy (Ilestedt, 63), Beattie, Catley, Walti (Cooney-Cross, 86), Little (C), Maanum (Hurtig, 63), Lacasse (Pelova, 63), Foord, Russo (Blackstenius, 72)
Subs: D’Angelo (GK), Maritz, Codina, Kuhl
Liverpool starting XI: Laws (GK), Clark, Bonner, Fisk, Koivisto, Hinds (Parry, 80), Nagano, Kearns (Lundgaard, 80), Taylor (Flint, 67), Hobinger (Enderby, 71)
Subs: Micah
Attendance: 54115
Copyright 2024 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.
