#3 Liverpool 5-1 Arsenal - English Premier League, February 2014
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In a season in which both Liverpool and Arsenal had mounted a realistic challenge for the title, this fixture was an important one. The Gunners were two points clear at the top of the table, whereas as Liverpool were in fourth, eight points adrift of the leaders.
Arsenal came to Anfield as league leaders, high on confidence, but that would change shortly after the commencement of the match. The Gunners were completely ripped to shreds in the opening 20 minutes of the game.
Liverpool put on an impressive display of speed, pressing and finishing as they ran rings around a stunned Arsenal team to put four past Wojciech Szczesny within 20 minutes.
The first goal came within 53 seconds, when Skrtel put the ball in the back of the net from a Gerrard free kick into the box. The centre-back scored his second in the 10th minute as he headed the ball into the top left corner from a corner.
Liverpool’s third came in the 17th minute. Luis Suarez played a low pass across the face of goal, where Raheem Sterling was perfectly positioned to tap it in. Just three minutes later Coutinho played a great ball through to Sturridge, who made no mistake with his finish.
Sterling completed a brace in the 52nd minute as he poked a shot at Szczesny who kept it out, but the winger pounced on the rebound to score Liverpool’s fifth. Arsenal got a consolation goal in the form of a Mikel Arteta penalty when Gerrard brought down Oxlade-Chamberlain in the 68th minute, and that closed the scoring in that game.
Liverpool went on to finish that season as runner-ups. They came agonisingly close to their first title in the Premier League era, but finished two points behind eventual winners Manchester City. Arsenal ended the season in their traditional fourth spot.
