Liverpool took a 2-1 win against Arsenal in a Wednesday pre-season friendly at Lincoln Financial Field. Mohamed Salah and Fabio Carvalho got Liverpool ahead in the first half, and while Kai Havertz managed to equalize for Arsenal just before halftime, the Gunners couldn't capitalize on their second-half possession. This result handed Mikel Arteta's squad their first defeat during their tour of the United States.
Liverpool defeated Arsenal 2-1 in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday at Lincoln Financial Field, with Mohamed Salah and Fabio Carvalho scoring in the first half of the game. In an intriguing first half, Kai Havertz equalized for the Gunners just before the break, but despite dominating possession after halftime, Mikel Arteta’s men were unable to prevent their first defeat on their United States tour in their last encounter.
The match kicked off on a scorching night with temperatures around 30°C. A massive, sell-out crowd of 69,879 witnessed a stadium record for soccer, watching as Arsenal initially pressured Liverpool's backline, exploiting their attempts to play out from the defense.
Early on, Caoimhin Kelleher narrowly avoided a costly mistake when Gabriel Jesus closed him down during a clearance in the third minute, but the shot missed the target. Kelleher's willingness to play out from the back eventually bore fruit in the 13th minute; Diogo Jota found Harvey Elliott, who then played a precise ball behind the Arsenal defense for Salah. Salah outran Oleksandr Zinchenko and finished low past goalkeeper Karl Hein.
Liverpool continued to threaten throughout the first half, especially after Jarell Quansah made a vital save to stop Gabriel Jesus from tapping in a cross from Gabriel Martinelli. Diogo Jota nearly scored after another great ball from Elliott, but he hit the post. Liverpool doubled their lead with 11 minutes left in the half when Carvalho converted a low shot from close range after another long ball from Elliott.
Arsenal fought back five minutes before the break. Martin Ødegaard pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area, and as Konstantinos Tsimikas slipped, the Arsenal captain found Kai Havertz, who slid the ball past Kelleher. Both managers shuffled their lineups at halftime; Liverpool replaced Jota among others, while Arsenal brought on Leandro Trossard and Fabio Vieira for Reiss Nelson and Gabriel Martinelli.
The second half saw Arsenal dominating possession, yet they struggled to create clear-cut chances. Fabio Vieira had an effort saved by Kelleher following a clever pass from Ødegaard, and Eddie Nketiah missed the target with a weak shot. This win follows a 1-0 victory over Real Betis, giving new Liverpool manager Arne Slot two wins in a row.
Liverpool's next stop is South Carolina on Saturday, August 3, for a match against Manchester United. Meanwhile, Arsenal is heading back to London to prepare for a friendly against Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates Stadium next Wednesday.