Stats: Mane out to emulate Sturridge against Arsenal
Ahead of Liverpool's Anfield clash with Arsenal on Sunday, here are eight intriguing facts and figures about the Premier League game and the history between the clubs.
Georginio Wijnaldum’s 91st-minute goal in last season’s corresponding fixture was the third successive meeting at Anfield in which the Reds have scored from the 90th minute onwards against Arsene Wenger’s men – following Martin Sktrel (90+7) in December 2014 and Joe Allen (90) the following season.
Liverpool have failed to score at home to the Gunners in only two of the last 23 league meetings, hitting the net 13 times in the last four Anfield clashes.
Sadio Mane’s first game in English football was against Arsenal in a League Cup win at Emirates Stadium in 2014. He netted in both league meetings last season.
Should Mane score this time, he will be only the second Reds player in the last 23 seasons to find the net in each of the first three league games of a campaign. The other was Daniel Sturridge in 2013-14.
Fixtures between the two teams in the Premier League have included seven missed penalties – four by Liverpool, three by the Gunners – with the last being saved by Simon Mignolet from Theo Walcott in August 2016.
The Reds have scored 182 league goals against Arsenal at Anfield. Only against Aston Villa (201) have they netted more at home, with Newcastle United also conceding 182 to date.
This will be Wenger’s 52nd game against Liverpool as Gunners boss. Only four managers have ever faced the Reds on more occasions, with Brian Clough immediately above the Frenchman on 53.
Only twice in the last 25 seasons have Arsenal lost two of their opening three league games of a season. In those campaigns (1994-95 and 2011-12) one of the defeats was inflicted by Liverpool.