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Results that have defined Liverpool and Arsenal's polarising seasons

Brad Ferguson
Arsenal have silenced their critics with a sustained title push this season
Arsenal have silenced their critics with a sustained title push this seasonAFP
League leaders Arsenal are enjoying their first genuine title challenge in years, while Liverpool are in the midst of a surprisingly poor campaign after almost bagging a quadruple last season.

Ahead of Sunday's clash at Anfield, Flashscore takes a look at the key fixtures that have shaped each side's polarising seasons.

Spurs 0-2 Arsenal

Odegaard celebrates Arsenal's win against Spurs
Odegaard celebrates Arsenal's win against SpursAFP

Arsenal arrived at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in something of a make-or-break situation with title rivals Manchester City fixing them in their headlights.

A loss would have been catastrophic in opening the door to City, let alone the emotional toil of their arch-rivals being the side to deliver what might have been a hammer blow.

Yet a Hugo Lloris own goal and a smart finish from Martin Odegaard underlined a professional display in the face of great pressure, letting the Gunners lay down their marker as legitimate title challengers.

Arsenal 3-2 Man Utd

Nketiah scored a late winner for Arsenal against United
Nketiah scored a late winner for Arsenal against UnitedAFP

A 90th-minute winner from Eddie Nketiah secured a huge 3-2 win over Manchester United for Arsenal in the Premier League title race.

The Gunners were up against it, with City having cut the gap to just two points earlier in the day.

Going behind early, they battled United in a frantic encounter, and while Arsenal sides of old may have given up the chase after United's second-half equaliser, Arsenal's pressure paid off with less than 60 seconds of normal time remaining.

Arsenal 1-3 Manchester City

Erling Haaland fights for the ball with Arsenal's Japanese defender Takehiro Tomiyasu
Erling Haaland fights for the ball with Arsenal's Japanese defender Takehiro TomiyasuAFP

The first league encounter between the top two was pushed back a few weeks due to their FA Cup encounter, with Arsenal succumbing to a classy second-half showing from Guardiola's side.

It was the first time City managed to leapfrog Arsenal to go top of the Premier League, but significant in that this result would not deflate the Gunners, who found themselves back at the summit again within a couple of matches.

Aston Villa 2-4 Arsenal

Martinelli celebrates scoring against Villa with Gabriel and Saliba
Martinelli celebrates scoring against Villa with Gabriel and SalibaAFP

A topsy-turvy tie saw Arsenal again prove their mettle after going behind away from home.

Twice finding themselves chasing the game in the first half, it took another mature display from Bukayo Saka to drag them back into the game, before a slice of luck as Jorginho's crossbar-hitting shot bounced in off former keeper Emiliano Martinez, with Gabriel Martinelli sneaking in a killer fourth after eight minutes of added time.

The result ended a sticky patch for Arteta's side, who had been on a four-game winless streak prior to their Villa Park visit.

Arsenal 3-2 Bournemouth

Arsenal celebrate their third goal against Bournemouth
Arsenal celebrate their third goal against BournemouthAFP

Down by two at home after an hour to a Cherries side fighting for all the points they can get, a 30-minute push saw Arsenal turn the tie totally on its head thanks to goals from Thomas Partey, Ben White and a late Reiss Nelson winner in the most added of added time.

It was heartbreaking for Bournemouth, but the kind of luck that has seen many a championship-winning side get over the line.

Liverpool 9-0 Bournemouth

The match stats for Liverpool's record win over Bournemouth
The match stats for Liverpool's record win over BournemouthOpta by Stats Perform

A slow start to the season for Liverpool saw the Reds quickly languishing behind their perceived Premier League title rivals, but the mood changed on a sunny August afternoon at Anfield.

A stunning performance saw Liverpool tear Scott Parker's Bournemouth apart to register their biggest-ever winning margin of the Premier League era.

It would prove to be a false dawn for Reds fans though as form would take a turn not long after.

Nottingham Forest 1-0 Liverpool

Forest were bottom at the time when they stunned Liverpool
Forest were bottom at the time when they stunned LiverpoolAFP

Despite a humbling by Napoli in the Champions League, disappointing draws with Everton and Brighton, and a 3-2 defeat to league leaders Arsenal in the weeks prior, the Kop still housed some level of optimism that their season could be turned around.

A positive run of three wins on the bounce, including a 7-1 mauling of Rangers in Europe and a tight 1-0 win over Manchester City, had the Reds beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel, but things came crashing down once more on their visit to the City Ground.

An out-of-sorts Nottingham Forest - rooted to the bottom of the table at the time and winless in nine straight games - threw the form book out the window and recorded a stunning 1-0 win over Klopp's shellshocked side, just the third time in the Jurgen Klopp era to not register a goal on their travels in the Premier League.

Brighton 3-0 Liverpool

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson looks on during their defeat to Brighton
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson looks on during their defeat to BrightonProfimedia

Brighton backed up their 3-3 draw earlier in the season by blowing the Reds away at the Amex, securing a Premier League home win against Liverpool for the first time in their history.

It was during this match in particular that Klopp's problems really became clear. The lack of leadership on display in the absence of an injured Virgil van Dijk was plain to see, while a weak midfield continuously surrendered possession to the rampant Seagulls. Brighton even leapfrogged Liverpool in the table as a result.

Liverpool 7-0 Manchester United

Mohamed Salah celebrates with Liverpool's English midfielder Harvey Elliott
Mohamed Salah celebrates with Liverpool's English midfielder Harvey ElliottAFP

Liverpool stunned old rivals Manchester United at Anfield, blowing the Red Devils away in a fashion fans had not seen for some time.

A brief tonic for the miserably inconsistent form the Kop had endured throughout the season, Erik ten Hag's high-flying United side, favourites for the tie for the first time in years, were duly humbled as Liverpool suddenly and emphatically breathed new life into their hunt for a top-four spot.

Bournemouth 1-0 Liverpool

Liverpool's Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah hits this penalty kick wide of the Bournemouth goal
Liverpool's Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah hits this penalty kick wide of the Bournemouth goalAFP

After the 9-0 hiding earlier in the season and fresh off the back of the dominant win over Manchester United, few would have predicted Bournemouth - still languishing at the bottom of the table - would choose this match to end their eight-match winless run against the Merseysiders.

Going behind after 28 minutes, a rare wayward penalty from Mohammed Salah painted the perfect picture of both the Egyptian's and Liverpool's season in a nutshell: meandering well wide of the expected mark.

The win lifted Bournemouth off the bottom and began Liverpool's descent to mid-table obscurity.

Manchester City 4-1 Liverpool

The match stats from Man City v Liverpool
The match stats from Man City v LiverpoolOpta by Stats Perform

A recent nail in the coffin, Liverpool were resoundingly beaten by rivals City, who themselves are still very much in the hunt for the title Klopp is so used to battling them for.

Matters were worsened as old foe Pep Guardiola happily goaded and got in the faces of Liverpool players warming up on the sidelines while celebrating, seemingly getting away scot-free with his actions afterwards.

It left the Reds with plenty of work to do if they're to reach even Europa League qualification next season, with hopes of a return to Champions League competition hanging by a thread.

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