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• Stoke City 1-0 Liverpool
• Walters 21

After a start which had seen them go top of the table for the first time in two years, there had been growing talk of Liverpool developing into genuine title contenders this season. But at a ground which has consistently proved to be a graveyard of success for the club came the feeling that, even at this early stage, their championship hopes have died just a little.

Liverpool’s record of having never won a Premier League fixture at the Britannia Stadium has now stretched to four games, this being their second defeat in succession, and while their performance here was encouraging in spells, and in no way as poor as that which led to a 2-0 defeat here last season, the visitors hardly looked like a team yet capable of garnering the victories required to knock Manchester United off their perch.

It will have particularly pained the travelling supporters that the goal which sealed their side’s first defeat of the campaign arrived in somewhat predictable fashion, with a direct and aggressive approach from Stoke leading to Jamie Carragher bringing Jonathan Walters down inside the area. The striker took the resulting penalty himself to record his first league goal of the season.

Liverpool, in fairness, did not sulk and went onto dominate possession, territory and goal chances here and will still be wondering how they did not equalise shortly after the hour mark when, having been put clear by José Enrique’s through pass, Jordan Henderson saw three shots blocked by the Stoke defence and Charlie Adam, two. Asmir Begovic, the Stoke goalkeeper, was to thank for three of those interceptions.

The refusal to concede was typical of Stoke’s spirit throughout and, as such, they will feel they deserved to win. Peter Crouch was quiet on his debut for the club having joined from Tottenham for £10m on deadline day but he will feel pleased having seen his new team record an eighth game this season without defeat.

Craig Bellamy featured for Liverpool having re-signed for the club at the end of last month but, barring a late header, made minimal impact. Indeed, it was Luis Suárez who yet again was the visitor’s most potent threat and he will feel aggrieved at not having won a penalty when Matthew Upson appeared to handle his cross into the area later on into the contest. Deep into stoppage time the striker then missed an open goal after Begovic had failed to collect Charlie Adam’s cross. It was one of those days for Liverpool in the Potteries, yet again.

Premier League 2011-12Stoke CityLiverpoolPremier LeagueSachin Nakraniguardian.co.uk

• Liverpool manager says Henderson should not be heckled
• Luis Suárez has returned to training following Copa América

The Liverpool manager, Kenny Dalglish, insists Sunderland fans should not give Jordan Henderson a rough ride in Liverpool’s opening Premier League fixture this weekend. The midfielder left the Black Cats for Liverpool this summer and Dalglish says his former club have to be “philosophical” about the move.

“Jordan is one they’ve lost,” Dalglish told the Liverpool Echo. “He’s a good player who they would have been understandably reluctant to let go. But sometimes as a manager you’ve got to be philosophical and say if a player wants to go we should let him leave. I don’t think [Sunderland fans] will have any animosity towards Jordan. Sunderland will be a difficult fixture. There’s been a major turnaround of players there over the summer.

“We’ll need to do a bit of revision and see which players Steve has brought in and let go. Their team will be very different to the one we faced back in March.”

Luis Suárez has returned to training after being given an extended break following Uruguay’s involvement in the Copa América and is in contention for the starting line-up on Saturday.

Suárez could partner Andy Carroll, who Dalglish says has recovered from the injury that affected him last season. “Andy’s injury meant he was only able to train at 100% on rare occasions last season. He even played in some games when we knew he wasn’t going to be at his best. Now he is fully over that knock and has been able to do a lot more on the training field in pre-season. That’s showed in the games he has played over the last few weeks. He’s fitter and scoring some goals.”

The Sunderland left-back George McCartney has agreed a season-long loan deal with his former club West Ham United. The 30-year-old spent two years with the Hammers between 2006 and 2008 with spells at Sunderland either side of that. McCartney made 71 appearances for West Ham during that time, and is happy to become Sam Allardyce’s sixth summer signing at Upton Park.

LiverpoolKenny DalglishSunderlandTransfer windowguardian.co.uk

Arsène Wenger thinks that Arsenal have exceeded many people’s expectations simply by remaining in the top four, but the larger truth is that they could easily be competing hard for the title if it were not for some very avoidable lapses, which include three defeats at home. This weekend, victory over Liverpool would take them to within four points of leaders Manchester United, who have a game to come at the Emirates. Liverpool possess in Andy Carroll exactly the sort of centre-forward who could cause havoc in Arsenal’s defence. Kevin McCarra

Venue Emirates StadiumTickets Sold out

Last season Arsenal 1 Liverpool 0

Referee A Marriner

This season’s matches 22 Y73, R3, 3.45 cards per game

Odds Arsenal 4-5 Liverpool 4-1 Draw 5-2

Arsenal

Subs from Almunia, Lehmann, Diaby, Rosicky, Walcott, Denílson, Ramsey, Djourou, Eboué, Chamakh, Bendtner

Doubtful Almunia (ankle), Denílson (toe), Djourou (shoulder), Ramsey (groin), Sagna (knee), Song (knee), Szczesny (finger)

Injured Vermaelen (achilles, May), Fabianski (shoulder, Aug)

Suspended None

Form guide WDDDWW

Disciplinary record Y53 R6

Leading scorer Van Persie 12

Liverpool

Subs from Gulacsi, Poulsen, Kyrgiakos, Rodríguez, Cole, Ngog, Jovanovic, Hansen, Wilson, Shelvey, Robinson

Doubtful None

Injured Johnson (hamstring, 23 Apr), Kelly (hamstring, May), Agger (knee, Aug), Gerrard (groin, Aug)

Suspended None

Form guide WLWWLD

Disciplinary record Y52 R2

Leading scorer Carroll 13

Match pointers

• Arsenal have taken just eight points from their games against the current top six, fewer than any of their rivals

• Liverpool have won only one of their last 10 Premier League games against Arsenal and none of the past seven, though five of those have ended in draws

• Robin van Persie has scored 20 goals in his past 21 Premier League starts

• Liverpool have lost five of their last six league fixtures in London

• There have been more hat-tricks in this fixture than any other in Premier League history

Premier LeagueArsenalLiverpoolguardian.co.uk