Cole and Koscielny see red as points are shared...
By Alex Fisher
A late own goal by Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina gifted Arsenal a point in their opening Premier League match of the new campaign at Anfield.
Despite debutant Joe Cole seeing red before the interval, the hosts took the lead at the start of the second-half thanks to a belter from striker David Ngog.
The strike looked to have given new Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson the perfect start, but the Gunners kept pushing and were rewarded with a last minute equaliser.
Hodgson named star striker Fernando Torres on the Liverpool bench, opting to start with Ngog upfront, with summer signing Cole making his Red's debut supporting the Frenchman. Milan Jovanovic also made his debut in midfield alongside wantaway Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano.
Following a summer of transfer speculation, Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas was not included in the matchday squad due to illness, while striker Robin van Persie began on the bench. New signings Marouane Chamakh and Laurent Koscielny made their bows for the Gunners and teenage midfield playmaker Jack Wilshere was also included in the starting line-up.
Both teams started the match in a positive manner and as early as the fifth minute Thomas Vermaelen had the first chance, testing Reina with a 30-yard free-kick that the Spanish goalkeeper punched to safety.
Liverpool’s first chance of the match arrived shortly after. A long ball from captain Steven Gerrard found Dirk Kuyt on the right wing. The Dutchman played the ball inside to the overlapping Glen Johnson, who’s cross was just behind an unmarked Cole in the six-yard box.
Five minutes later a passing move from Arsenal down their left wing resulted in Samir Nasri playing a neat through ball to Emmanuel Eboue, but the backtracking Gerrard made a crucial last minute challenge to deny the Ivorian midfielder.
The two were involved again a minute later when a tackle by Gerrard on Eboue gave Arsenal a free-kick on the edge of the Liverpool area. However, Nasri’s free-kick flew straight into the wall and Vermaelen’s follow-up effort was well wide of Reina’s goal.
Arsenal were beginning to dominate the match with their passing football and just after the half hour mark another move saw Nasri find Gael Clichy, but the French full-back fired a swerving 25-yard shot just over the bar.
The home side were struggling to create any clear opportunities but Jovanovic had a great chance to score on his debut. A long ball from the Liverpool defence was chased down by the Serbian midfielder, but he fired his shot wide from inside the penalty area.
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Liverpool finished the half the stronger and in the final minute, a neat one two between Johnson and Kuyt gave the full-back a sight of goal only for his 20-yard left footed strike to be tipped over the bar by Manuel Almunia. From the resulting Gerrard corner, Ngog saw his header from six-yards cleared off the line by Clichy.
In the very last seconds of the half came the biggest moment of the match as Cole was sent off following a late challenge on Koscielny by the corner flag. Referee Martin Atkinson brandished a straight red card for Cole for the tackle, which saw the Arsenal defender leave the pitch on a stretcher.
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