Recap: Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool – FA Community Shield 2020

Community Shield Final
Saturday 29 August 2020 - 4:30 pm
Wembley
Liverpool1
1Arsenal
LFC Lost - Lost 5-4 on penalties
Show Match Events
13'⚽️ Aubameyang
Milner57'
59'↔️ Bellerin off, Soares on
Williams off, Minamino on ↔️59'
Milner off, Keïta on ↔️59'
⚽️ Minamino72'
81'↔️ Saka off, Nelson on
81'↔️ Nketiah off, Willock on
Firmino off, Jones on ↔️81'
Wijnaldum off, Brewster on ↔️90'
Hide Match Events

It was another penalty shoot out defeat for Liverpool at Wembley in yesterday's English Super Cup.

Liverpool conceded in the 12th minute, as they did last year, and after 90 minutes - with the scores level - were once again defeated 5-4 in the shoot out.

Although Aubameyang took the plaudits for his opening goal and converting the deciding penalty, Liverpool were really at fault for their finishing in a game that for large parts they dominated.

A strong line up chosen by Klopp, with only Neco Williams replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold.  The reds starting the better of the two teams in front of an empty national stadium.

Virgil van Dijk had the ball in the net when he latched on to Andy Robertson's free kick in the 5th minute, but it was rightly called offside by the assistant official.

On a rare foray into the Liverpool half, Aubameyang showed his class when he turned Neco Williams before drilling a shot past Alisson and Arsenal were one up.

This goal galvanised the Londoners who enjoyed a good 20 minute spell of domination - with Liverpool's midfield of Wijnaldum, Milner and Fabinho clear second best with Saka and Nketiah dominating in the reds half of the pitch.

But as the half wore on, the reds began to find joy through the interplay of Sadio Mane and Andy Robertson.  The two players who were on such a similar wavelength last season began to click into play - combined they made up for a lack of intensity of Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah who both had quiet games.

The reds should have equalised before half time.  A number of crosses from Robertson evading van Dijk, Salah and on one occassion Mane glanced a header wide.

As it happened: Arsenal 1-1 LFC (5-4 pens)

The reds were much better in the second half, and the arrival of Naby Keita and Takumi Minamino gave them added attacking strength.

After a move that saw all of the front three touch the ball - Minamino spun, shot and scored his debut goal in a Liverpool shirt.  We will be hoping to see much more of him with a goal to his name in the coming season.

After the match Klopp highlighted that he saw him having an important role at the club:

Yes, he can have an impact, that’s why we signed him. That’s easily said. I don’t want to put, after one or two really good performances in the pre-season, massive pressure on his shoulders that there’s absolutely no need for. We have a good football team and it’s difficult to come into the team anyway.

But he is a player who is really useful for us, let me say it like this.

It was not only the goal today. He is in between, he is really good in small spaces, his first touch is exceptional, then his decision-making between the lines is really quick. That helps as well. So, yes, he can be a real player for us – that was always clear.

In injury time, Klopp brought on Rhian Brewster with seconds to spare to replace Gini Wijnaldum.  Wijnaldum had missed the penalty in last season's Community Shield defeat, and Brewster was named as the third taker for the reds.

But unfortunately his penalty smashed against the crossbar, the only penalty off target of all ten, and it was Aubameyang who converted the decider.

It caps a good few months for Arsenal who improved significantly in the post-lockdown season.

Liverpool will be hoping this Community Shield omen points to a similar Premier League outcome in the year ahead.

The reds have two weeks, albeit interrupted by internationals, to get fully prepared for the games that really matter - starting at Anfield on the 12th September when they welcome Leeds back to the division.

FA Community Shield 2020 Highlights

Leave a Reply

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.