NP 19/11: Liverpool vs Arsenal: Biggest wins and defeats in history

On Saturday, Liverpool welcome Arsenal to Anfield for one of the longest standing fixtures in English football. Liverpool, who have spent a total of 107 seasons in the top flight, and Arsenal with 106, have met 194 times in the first tier of the domestic league - the Reds have only played one club more - their neighbours from the other side of Stanley Park, Everton.

While this is a fixture which traditionally almost always produces goals, games have generally been closely fought and without big scorelines.

Liverpool's biggest wins at home to Arsenal

Liverpool’s biggest top flight win against Arsenal at Anfield (including the old First Division and the Premier League), was the 5-0 hammering which Bill Shankly’s side served the visitors on 18 April 1964. Two Reds legends who recently passed away, Ian St John and Roger Hunt were on target that Saturday afternoon - and the damage could have been even greater had Ian Callaghan put away a penalty at the Anfield Road end in the second half.

'No look' Firmino

During the Premier League era, Liverpool have posted 5-1 victories at home to The Gunners twice. In the February 1994 meeting, the Reds were 4-0 up by half-time, running Arsenal ragged. Martin Skrtel set the Reds on their way, scoring twice within the first 10 minutes. Mikel Arteta, who pulled a consolation goal back from the spot admitted afterwards that Arsène Wenger’s dressing room rant at the interval was the angriest he’d ever seen from him.

Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool side matched that scoreline in December 2018 but had to come from behind after Maitland-Niles grabbed an early opener. Liverpool were back level three minutes later - Firmino treating the home fans to one of his classic ‘no-look’ finishes then going on to score a hat trick.

Arsenal's greatest victories at Anfield

Arsenal have also had their fair share of big wins and famous victories in L4. They thrashed the hosts 1-5 in November 1952, drawing the Reds out with a defensive first half before tearing them to shreds in the second with 33-year-old skipper Bob Paisley and top scorer Billy Liddell hardly getting a sniff of the ball. Arsenal went on to win the league that season while Liverpool finished mid-table in 12th.

That defeat might have been Liverpool’s heaviest home defeat to Arsenal in the league but it wasn’t the most painful. Andrei Arshavin bagged four goals in a topsy-turvy game which dented Liverpool’s title chances in 2009.

"It's up for grabs now!"

But that was eclipsed by the rescheduled meeting at Anfield on 26 May 1989, the final game of the season. Liverpool went into the game top of the table on 76 points with Arsenal, second on 73. A win, draw or even a 0-1 defeat would have been enough for Liverpool to retain the league title but agonisingly, Michael Thomas made it 0-2 in the final seconds of game to hand Arsenal the title in one of the most dramatic climaxes in the history of the English game. Both finished level on points (76) and with an identical goal difference (+37) but Arsenal were crowned champions for having scored more goals throughout the campaign - 73 compared to Liverpool’s 65.