Liverpool and Arsenal will on Sunday evening play their first game of the year by facing off at the third-round stage of the FA Cup, with kick-off in north London 4.30pm GMT.
Below are 12 facts about both teams ahead of the encounter.
1. Historic Rivalry in the FA Cup: This match marks the 14th encounter between Liverpool and Arsenal in the FA Cup, equalling the number of Liverpool vs. Manchester United ties in the competition. Everton remains the team with the most encounters against Liverpool in the FA Cup, having faced them 19 times.
2. Liverpool’s Scoring Record: Liverpool has scored in 19 out of their last 21 meetings against Arsenal. They’ve also managed to net more than one goal in six of their last eight visits, both in league and cup competitions.
3. Recent Encounters: The last FA Cup meeting between Liverpool and Arsenal was in February 2014. Liverpool’s last FA Cup victory at Arsenal dates back to February 1964, where Liverpool won by five goals to nil.
4. Liverpool’s FA Cup Success: Liverpool has claimed the FA Cup eight times, with their most recent win occurring in 2022 against Chelsea in a thrilling encounter decided by a penalty shootout at Wembley.
5. Klopp’s Unique Feat: Jürgen Klopp is the only German manager to have lifted the FA Cup, achieving this milestone after the triumph against Chelsea in 2022.
6. FA Cup Wins via Penalties:Both Liverpool and Arsenal are the only teams to have clinched the FA Cup via penalty shootouts. Liverpool did so in 2006 and 2022, while Arsenal’s victory in 2005 was also secured through a shootout.
7. Liverpool’s Third Round Record: Liverpool have only been eliminated at the FA Cup’s third-round stage once in the last 12 seasons, which happened in 2019 against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
8. Diogo Jota’s Impact: Diogo Jota has faced Arsenal more times than any other club, appearing in nine games and scoring seven goals for Liverpool against them.
9. Harvey Elliott’s Milestone: Harvey Elliott is set to mark his 50th start for Liverpool across all competitions with his next appearance.
10. Curtis Jones’ FA Cup Appearances: Among current Liverpool players, Curtis Jones has made the most FA Cup appearances, totaling 13 matches.
11. Arsenal’s FA Cup Record: Arsenal has had only two instances in the last 27 seasons where they failed to progress to round four – in 2018 and 2022.
12. Arsenal’s Home Form: Arsenal has showcased a strong home record this season at the Emirates Stadium, winning 10 out of 13 games and drawing twice. However, they suffered a 2-0 defeat in their last home game against West Ham United.
