Arsenal 3-4 Liverpool: A Seven-Goal Opening Day (2016)
Arsenal 3-4 Liverpool was a seven-goal opening-day thriller on 14 August 2016: Liverpool won 4-3 at Arsenal, with Sadio Mané scoring on his debut. Theo Walcott put Arsenal ahead on 31 minutes, minutes after having a penalty saved, but Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool scored four in the space of eighteen minutes through Philippe Coutinho (two), Adam Lallana and Mané to lead 4-1. Arsenal rallied late through Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Calum Chambers, but Liverpool held on for 4-3 at the Emirates.
It was a chaotic, thrilling curtain-raiser to the 2016-17 season, and a snapshot of both clubs: Klopp’s Liverpool electric going forward and vulnerable at the back, Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal undone by a makeshift defence yet always dangerous. It joins a long line of dramatic Arsenal openers, from the Invincibles’ unbeaten start in 2003 to this seven-goal defeat. Here is how the goals flew in.
Key Facts
- Played on 14 August 2016 at the Emirates Stadium, in front of 60,033. It was the opening day of the 2016-17 Premier League season.
- Liverpool won 4-3. Theo Walcott scored first for Arsenal on 31 minutes, having earlier had a penalty saved by Simon Mignolet.
- Liverpool then scored four in eighteen minutes: Philippe Coutinho (45+1 and 56), Adam Lallana (49) and Sadio Mané (63) to lead 4-1.
- Sadio Mané, a summer signing from Southampton, scored on his Liverpool debut with a fine solo goal.
- Arsenal rallied through Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (64) and Calum Chambers (75) to make it 4-3, but could not find an equaliser.
- The referee was Michael Oliver. It was Jürgen Klopp’s first full season in charge of Liverpool.
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Four in Eighteen Minutes: How Liverpool Won It
A Penalty Miss, Then an Arsenal Lead
The game’s first twist favoured Arsenal, and then it did not. Theo Walcott had the chance to open the scoring from the penalty spot, only for Simon Mignolet to save it, before Walcott made amends on 31 minutes to put Arsenal 1-0 up. On another day the reprieve might have settled the home side. Instead it seemed to wake Liverpool, who ended the half level when Philippe Coutinho curled in a free-kick in first-half stoppage time, and then took the game away from Arsenal entirely after the break.
| Minute | Scorer | Team | Score (Arsenal-Liverpool) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Theo Walcott | Arsenal | 1-0 |
| 45+1 | Philippe Coutinho (free-kick) | Liverpool | 1-1 |
| 49 | Adam Lallana | Liverpool | 1-2 |
| 56 | Philippe Coutinho | Liverpool | 1-3 |
| 63 | Sadio Mané | Liverpool | 1-4 |
| 64 | Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain | Arsenal | 2-4 |
| 75 | Calum Chambers | Arsenal | 3-4 |
Mané’s Debut and a Late Arsenal Rally
Within ten minutes of the restart Liverpool led 3-1, Adam Lallana finishing from close range and Coutinho striking his second. On 63 minutes Sadio Mané, a reported £30m signing from Southampton (per the BBC) making his debut, drove through the Arsenal defence and finished for 4-1, and the game looked over. It was not. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain pulled one back almost immediately, and Calum Chambers made it 4-3 on 75 minutes, setting up a frantic finish that Liverpool survived. Seven goals, a debut to remember and a scoreline that never sat still.
How the game swung:
- 31′ Walcott scores after his penalty is saved, Arsenal 1-0.
- 45+1′ Coutinho curls in a free-kick, 1-1.
- 49′ Lallana finishes from close range, Liverpool lead 1-2.
- 56′ Coutinho strikes his second, 1-3.
- 63′ Mané drives through to score on his debut, Liverpool 1-4.
- 64′ Oxlade-Chamberlain pulls one back, 2-4.
- 75′ Chambers makes it 3-4.
- FT Arsenal 3-4 Liverpool, the visitors holding on.
What the Game Said About Both Sides
The match told you plenty about where both clubs stood. Mané’s arrival gave Liverpool a new gear going forward, and the season would build towards the title-winning teams that followed. For Arsenal, being picked apart by a newly assembled Liverpool attack was an early warning in what proved to be one of Wenger’s final seasons. It was also Klopp’s first opening fixture of a full campaign in charge, and it set the tone for the fast, unpredictable football to come.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Arsenal 3-4 Liverpool (2016)
What was the score in Arsenal v Liverpool in 2016?
Liverpool beat Arsenal 4-3 at the Emirates on 14 August 2016, on the opening day of the season. Liverpool led 4-1 through goals from Philippe Coutinho (two), Adam Lallana and Sadio Mané, before Arsenal rallied to 4-3 through Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Calum Chambers. Theo Walcott had scored Arsenal’s first.
Did Sadio Mané score on his Liverpool debut?
Yes. Sadio Mané, signed from Southampton that summer, scored on his Liverpool debut in this game, driving through the Arsenal defence to make it 4-1 on 63 minutes. It was an early sign of the impact he would go on to have at the club.
Who scored for Liverpool in the 4-3 win at Arsenal in 2016?
Liverpool’s four goals came from Philippe Coutinho (two, including a free-kick), Adam Lallana and Sadio Mané. All four arrived in an eighteen-minute spell either side of half-time, turning a 1-0 deficit into a 4-1 lead.
Did Theo Walcott miss a penalty in the game?
Yes. Theo Walcott had a penalty saved by Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet before he opened the scoring for Arsenal on 31 minutes. The miss was one of several twists in a game that swung repeatedly before Liverpool won 4-3.
How did Arsenal fight back to 3-4 against Liverpool?
Trailing 4-1, Arsenal scored twice in eleven minutes through Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (64) and Calum Chambers (75) to make it 4-3. They pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages but could not find one, and Liverpool held on for the win.
Where was the match played, and who refereed it?
The game was played at the Emirates Stadium in London, in front of 60,033. The referee was Michael Oliver. It was the opening fixture of the 2016-17 Premier League season and Jürgen Klopp’s first full season as Liverpool manager.
Why is Arsenal 3-4 Liverpool still remembered?
It is remembered as a thrilling, seven-goal opening-day classic: a saved penalty, Sadio Mané’s Liverpool debut goal, a 4-1 lead and a late Arsenal fightback to 4-3. It captured everything thrilling and fragile about Jürgen Klopp’s early Liverpool.
Who managed Arsenal and Liverpool in this match?
Arsenal were managed by Arsène Wenger and Liverpool by Jürgen Klopp. It was Klopp’s first full season in charge at Anfield, having taken over in October 2015, and the attacking style on show in this 4-3 win was an early glimpse of the football his Liverpool would become known for.
How many goals were scored in Arsenal 3-4 Liverpool?
Seven goals were scored: four for Liverpool (Coutinho twice, Lallana and Mané) and three for Arsenal (Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Chambers). The seven goals made it a genuine opening-day classic.
Where did Liverpool sign Sadio Mané from?
Liverpool signed Sadio Mané from Southampton in the summer of 2016, for a fee reported at around £30m. This match was his debut, and he marked it with a goal, an early sign of the impact he would have during his time at Anfield.
Klopp’s Liverpool, in One Game
Few opening days swing as violently as this one did: a saved penalty, an Arsenal lead, four Liverpool goals in eighteen minutes and a late fightback that fell a goal short. Arsenal 3-4 Liverpool was chaotic, compelling and an early glimpse of Jürgen Klopp’s thrilling, unfinished Liverpool. For more, from the Invincibles’ first day to Arsenal’s unbeaten season, keep exploring our On This Day series and the channel.
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