Here are five clashes between the big six and what the significance of those results turned out to beArsenal 3-4 Liverpool in 2016
The last time that Arsenal faced one of their big-six rivals on the opening weekend, there were fireworks as they combined with Liverpool to produce a Premier League classic back in 2016. Arsenal led before being blown away only to almost pull off an amazing comeback.
Theo Walcott had even missed a penalty before giving the Gunners the lead but after that it was all Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s men scored four times – twice through Philippe Coutinho with one apiece for Adam Lallana and Sadio Mane – to leave Arsenal in disarray.
Goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Calum Chambers made for a thrilling finale but the flaws in Arsene Wenger’s team had already been exposed. They would go on to finish outside of the top four for the first time under the Frenchman – one point behind Liverpool.
Manchester United 1-0 Tottenham in 2015
A new-look Manchester United got the job done against Tottenham on the first Saturday of the 2015/16 season with Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay among the debutants. David de Gea sat it out amid speculation he was off to Real Madrid.
It was an own goal by Kyle Walker midway through the first half that separated the sides and gave Louis van Gaal’s men the three points, but United were far from convincing.
Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs had four of the game’s five shots on target.
The performance rather than the result proved instructive. While Tottenham went on to push Leicester hard in the title race, Van Gaal’s United fell well short in fifth and the Dutchman paid the price with his job despite delivering the FA Cup for the club.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal in 2010
Roy Hodgson’s first Premier League game in charge of Liverpool was an eventful affair that ultimately ended in disappointment for the Anfield crowd as Pepe Reina’s late own goal allowed Arsenal to salvage a point. The Reds had looked like holding on despite being a man down.
Joe Cole’s arrival from Chelsea on a free transfer that summer had been hailed as a major coup but he marked his debut with a red card for a wild challenge on Laurent Koscielny. Even so, Cole looked like getting away with it when David Ngog put Liverpool ahead.
Instead, a surprise mistake by Reina proved the home side’s undoing. Tomas Rosicky whipped a cross into the area but the goalkeeper made a mess of it and Arsenal had their goal. Koscielny himself was sent off soon after. Hodgson was sacked in January.
Tottenham 2-1 Liverpool in 2009
Liverpool had run Manchester United close in the race for the Premier League title in the previous season with Tottenham languishing down in eighth. But this opening weekend clash at White Hart Lane provided clues for what was to come.
Joe Cole’s arrival from Chelsea on a free transfer that summer had been hailed as a major coup but he marked his debut with a red card for a wild challenge on Laurent Koscielny. Even so, Cole looked like getting away with it when David Ngog put Liverpool ahead.
Instead, a surprise mistake by Reina proved the home side’s undoing. Tomas Rosicky whipped a cross into the area but the goalkeeper made a mess of it and Arsenal had their goal. Koscielny himself was sent off soon after. Hodgson was sacked in January.