Liverpool wins FA Cup match against Arsenal due to their wastefulness

On Sunday afternoon, Arsenal suffered their third consecutive defeat, losing 2-0 to Liverpool at their home ground in the FA Cup third round.

Arsenal fired off a whopping 18 shots - the highest number Liverpool has had to fend off this season with all 11 players present - but failed to score or force Liverpool's goalkeeper, Alisson, into any significant saves. Once again, the team's poor finishing cost them the game.

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's coach, conceded that his squad 'didn't measure up' or perform 'well enough' in the preceding defeats against West Ham United and Fulham as this cup tie neared. Regardless, Arsenal began the game energetically at the Emirates Stadium, confusing some spectators with their all-white uniform resembling that of Real Madrid or Fiorentina.

Despite the game being advertised as Arsenal versus Liverpool, one might question if it's instead a contest between Real Madrid and Fiorentina. Why this would be is a wonder.

Narratives for the optimist and pessimist: Admittedly, this game started off strong, but this team really needs to seize the opportunities they are given.

Arsenal fired seven shots before Liverpool made their first - a disappointing half-chance - attempt at goal. Reiss Nelson managed to evade Alisson but failed to score from a difficult angle, followed by Martin Odegaard's close call with a shot that hit the crossbar.

The Gunners seem to have a grudge against seizing chances, don't they?

At this rate, the game should already be wrapped up. The lack of successful shooting is nearly farcical at present.

Trent Alexander-Arnold made a strong impact on Arsenal's goalpost during Liverpool's infrequent attack, and Liverpool should consider themselves lucky to have ended the first half with a tie.

Arsenal took 13 shots in comparison to Liverpool's 2. The first half was absolutely dreadful for us.

Arsenal's poor aim didn't improve during the interval as each forward took turns missing obvious opportunities at goal.

One begs the question, has Bukayo Saka gotten rusty at playing football?

If we had a striker with the pressing and combination play of Jesus, the physicality of Havertz, and the finishing skills of Nketiah, we'd have it all wrapped up.

Even with Arsenal's plethora of squandered opportunities, Liverpool's dormant threat was always ominously present. Diogo Jota's entry into the game tipped the balance further, before Alexander-Arnold broke the stalemate with a fiendish set-piece delivery in the 80th minute.

Unlike his disastrous performance last week against Fulham, Jakub Kiwior experienced an uneventful match on Sunday until he accidentally scored an own goal leading to the tie being broken.

One way to describe Kiwior would be as a left-footed version of Rob Holding....

Liverpool scored the clincher in the fifth minute of extra time with Luis Diaz landing an unequivocal finish. Diaz teamed up with Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo at the start of the match, but Liverpool still had a lengthy list of absent players - this understandably catching the attention of Arsenal's critics.

Arsenal lost to a Liverpool team lacking key players like Salah, VVD, Thiago, Endo, Szoboszlai, Matip, Bajcetic, Robertson, and Tsimikas.