Arsenal 2-0 Liverpool: In game and Post Match Analysis

Mignolet, Flanagan, Cissokho, Toure, Skrtel, Sakho, Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson, Suarez, Sturridge

Subs: Jones, Coutinho, Moses, Kelly, Allen, Agger, Sterling

Brendan Rodgers has made one alteration to his Liverpool line-up for Saturday's clash with Arsenal, with defender Jon Flanagan replacing Glen Johnson for the Barclays Premier League encounter.



The 20-year-old comes into an otherwise unchanged team from the one which comfortably saw off West Bromwich Albion 4-1 last weekend, as Johnson misses out at the Emirates Stadium due to illness.

Philippe Coutinho, meanwhile, is fit enough to rejoin the matchday squad after seven weeks on the sidelines following surgery on a shoulder injury.

Flanagan?

Hope the lad has a blinder because I don't think he's gonna get many more chances to prove himself in the first team with so many in front of him in the pecking order.

^^^ Yes that was a shock, seeing that there was Kelly available.

Nevertheless, come on reds

Flanagan?

hmm well flano has been to the emirates and done well hasn't he..? robinson definitley has and i feel flano played the same game.. good luck to him and the rest of the mighty red men!

Flanagan?

Johnson is ill...

Flanagan? I'm not so confident now. #dontratehim

Why isn't Kelly starting? but Flanno was suberb vs Arsenal last time he played against them. I hope he does well.

Johnson is ill...

wtf. This sucks. Flanagan ffs. Arg. Nerdrage.

Flanagan? I'm not so confident now. #dontratehim

With you on that one. McLaughlin is far ahead of him in terms of ability too so why isn't he being given a chance? Flanagan is far too rash in tackles,

Why isn't Kelly starting? but Flanno was suberb vs Arsenal last time he played against them. I hope he does well.

That was a long time ago though. I hope he does well too but he isn't a right wing back, he's just an every day defensive full back. Never seen anything from him that suggests otherwise.

I actually quite like Flanaghan, and given Glen isn't fit it was either him or Kelly. The manager went with his choice and I'm happy enough with it. It does just show what he and we are up against in terms of lack of squad depth, but I'm less convinced than everyone else by Kelly so it's a fair enough move for me.

I see it being 2-2 BTW, and I'd take that in all honesty.

I am not the biggest Flanno fan, but I doubt 1 player will impact the game that much (aside from Suarez!)... Wilshire is out for them and that will not change the game either.

Still upbeat, but wish it would start sooner - hate afternoon games!

I guess it is

                     Mignolet

             Toure Sakho Skrtel
Flanagan                             Cissokho

          Gerrard Lucas Hendo

                Suarez Sturridge

I think we obviously need another wingback even more than a DM.

Very strange and worrying decision to start Flanagan. Don't rate the lad much. Can't understand why Rodgers didn't play Hendo at right full with Coutinho in the no. 10 role? I really hope Flanno plays a blinder today cus he'll need to!

Well Flanagan is the obvious stand out from that, holy moly!

Kelly's rehab must be going terribly for him to still not get the call ahead of Flanno, not to worry though he's still sitting on his new contract

Personally would have had McLauglin way ahead of Flanno, think he's a red card waiting to happen in some games the way he likes to jump in, don't rate him at all and young Ryan has shown plenty of promise.

At least the bench has some attacking intent on it but that change has knocked the confidence a little I must say.

Very strange and worrying decision to start Flanagan. Don't rate the lad much. Can't understand why Rodgers didn't play Hendo at right full with Coutinho in the no. 10 role? I really hope Flanno plays a blinder today cus he'll need to!

^^ This would have also been preferred.

Should have been McLaughlin if Brendan doesn't think Kelly's fit enough to start.

Full backs are so important in this formation and looking at ours is kind of depressing really.

Should have been McLaughlin if Brendan doesn't think Kelly's fit enough to start.

Full backs are so important in this formation and looking at ours is kind of depressing really.

Johnson and Enrique are fine and Cissokho is good cover.  The problem is not enough cover.

Come on Flanagan Show them

Confirmed Arsenal subs v LFC: Fabianski, Vermaelen, Monreal, Jenkinson, Hayden, Akpom, Bendtner

Looking at their bench cheers me up though

The positive is having our attack vs their defence. Despite Flanno starting I still think our defence is better set up to pose with what their attack has to offer.

Need to make sure Suarez and Sturridge are given a lot of ball. Mertesacker is sh*t and Koscielny has a knack of sliding around. Sagna has been god awful this season and Gibbs has never been strong defensively.

The positive is having our attack vs their defence. Despite Flanno starting I still think our defence is better set up to pose with what their attack has to offer.

Need to make sure Suarez and Sturridge are given a lot of ball. Mertesacker is sh*t and Koscielny has a knack of sliding around. Sagna has been god awful this season and Gibbs has never been strong defensively.

Agree with you there Crouchy, their defence is their big weakness and why, despite what a lot were saying I thought working Coutinho into the side was the right thing to do. With this late call at RB it was the perfect opportunity to do so with Henderson moving to RB as Baz says.

Perhaps young Coutinho hasn't got the full 90 in his tank and we may see this switch later in the game, just hope we don't leave it too late.

Kelly looked badly off the pace last week when he came on. Was actually quite stark. Hoping Flanagan can take his chance. Like Dmasta said he's not going to get many more chances, if any, to impress. It's a big day for him.