Friday, August 13, 2010

Reds Target 2000th Win Against Arsenal

Liverpool will record the 2,000th league victory of their history should the Reds beat Arsenal on Sunday. Check out all the important stats and facts ahead of Sunday's big game.

Head to Head (League only) 
Overall: Liverpool 68 wins, Arsenal 60 wins, 44 draws
At Anfield: Liverpool 48 wins, Arsenal 22 wins, 16 draws
This is the seventh time the sides have met in an opening league fixture of a season. Liverpool have won four and drawn one, with the only defeat coming in the first meeting - losing 3-1 in September 1905.
Following those six opening day meetings, Liverpool went on to win the title on four occasions - in 1905-06, 1922-23, 1985-86 and 1987-88.
Kenny Dalglish's first league game in charge of Liverpool in 1985 was against Arsenal at Anfield and the Reds won the match 2-0 with goals from Ronnie Whelan and Steve Nicol.
A victory will give Liverpool their 2,000th in league history.
Should Liverpool take all three points on Sunday, Roy Hodgson will become the first Reds manager since 1892 to oversee a victory in each of his opening three games.
This is only the fourth time in the last 15 seasons Liverpool have kicked off a league campaign at home and the first in seven seasons.
They have lost just four of the last 34 opening day fixtures with the last two - Tottenham last season and Chelsea in 2003 - coming against London clubs. In that Chelsea game, Joe Cole came on as a substitute for the Londoners while Glen Johnson started.
That Chelsea defeat is one of only two they have suffered at home since returning to the top-flight in 1962. The other came that year against Blackpool.
If Liverpool win on Sunday, Roy Hodgson will become the first sole-manager to record a victory in his first league game in charge since Graeme Souness saw the Reds beat Norwich in 1991.
Since 2003, Liverpool have lost only twice at Anfield in the league after scoring the first goal of the game - both to Arsenal.
Liverpool have lost only three of the last 17 league meetings at Anfield.
Liverpool have won 14 Premier League games against the Gunners, with Arsenal winning 11 and drawing 11.
The Reds have failed to score in only one of the last 16 home league meetings with Arsenal and, in all competitions, Liverpool have kept only one clean sheet in the last 26 meetings home and away.
Should Liverpool score on Sunday, it will be their 50th in the Premier League against Arsenal.
Pepe Reina has yet to keep a clean sheet against Arsenal in 11 appearances.
Liverpool's biggest win over the Gunners at Anfield came in April 1964 when they recorded a 5-0 victory. Their heaviest defeat here to Sunday's opponents came in November 1952 when they were beaten 5-1.       
Last season Liverpool began their league campaign with a 2-1 defeat at Tottenham. The last time they lost their opening league game in successive seasons was in 1951-52.
Arsenal, along with only Chelsea, recorded a league double over Liverpool last season. They won 2-1 at Anfield thanks to Glen Johnson (OG) and Andrey Arshavin after Dirk Kuyt had scored for the Reds. They followed that up with a single goal victory at the Emirates, Abou Diaby scoring.
The Gunners also knocked Liverpool out of the League Cup, winning 2-1 at the Emirates.
Arshavin has scored five goals in his two visits to Anfield.
In 1964 the opening day meeting at Anfield saw the Match of the Day cameras cover a game for the first time with Liverpool winning the game 3-2.
Arsenal and Liverpool hold the record for the Premier League's biggest opening day victory. Both won 6-1 away from home - Liverpool at Crystal Palace in 1994 and the Gunners at Everton last season.
Arsenal were the opposition in Roy Hodgson's last league game in charge of Fulham with the Gunners winning 4-0 at the Emirates.
Last season's double was the second the Londoners have recorded over Liverpool in the Premier League.
The Gunners have failed to score in only one of the last 18 league meetings between the sides home and away.
They have not kept a clean sheet in their last 11 visits to Anfield since a goalless draw in August 1998.
Arsene Wenger has recorded 307 wins in 524 league games in charge of Arsenal.
Arsenal have lost just one of their last 16 opening day fixtures with the sole defeat in that period coming at Sunderland in 2000.
Only Everton (23) have won more league visits to Anfield than Arsenal who last season equalled Manchester United's tally of 22.

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