Where are they now? Arsenal’s last XI to beat Liverpool at Anfield in 2012

Arsenal’s last away triumph at Liverpool came all the way back in September 2012 as goals from Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla secured all three points for Arsene Wenger’s side in a 2-0 triumph.

Since that point, Anfield hasn’t exactly been a happy hunting ground for the Gunners. Arsenal are without a win in their last 13 trips to Liverpool and they will be keen to erase that fact sooner rather than later.

We’ve taken a trip down memory lane and have checked out what that Arsenal XI from back in 2012 are up to these days.

GK: Vito Mannone

The Italian goalkeeper was often a squad player during his years with Arsenal, although he did get his chance to impress against Liverpool in 2012. Mannone did well on this occasion too, making four saves and keeping a clean sheet.

Throughout his career, Mannone has played for 10 different clubs and currently finds himself with Ligue 1 outfit Lille where he plays the backup role to Lucas Chevalier.

RB: Carl Jenkinson

It’s a real shame injuries have hampered Jenkinson’s career and have probably halted him from reaching the peak of his powers. You can now catch the 31-year-old playing for A-League outfit Newcastle Jets.

CB: Thomas Vermaelen (Laurent Koscielny, ’90)

An excellent performer on his day, Vermaelen was subject to plenty of injuries in his later career. After leaving Arsenal for Barcelona in 2014, he enjoyed some success as a squad player but never established himself as a regular starter.

The Belgian defender ended his professional career in 2021 while playing alongside Andres Iniesta at Vissel Kobe. Since hanging up his boots, he has taken up a coaching role with the Belgium national team.

It’s a shame Koscielny’s time at the Emirates ended on a sour note considering he had given nine years of service to the club. His exit was fairly abrupt and he spent three years with Bordeaux before announcing his retirement last year.

It’s fair to say his unveiling video at Bordeaux didn’t go down very well with the Arsenal faithful back in 2019.

Arsenal fans. How do you feel about Bordeaux’s announcement video for Koscielny? 🥶pic.twitter.com/MkBvez0jzB

— Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) August 6, 2019

CB: Per Mertesacker

The towering German defender ended his career with Arsenal in 2018 having made 221 appearances for the Gunners. He has since stuck around in north London and now works as the club’s academy manager.

Mertesacker briefly took up a role as the Arsenal interim assistant under Freddie Ljungberg, although his efforts these days are focused on Arsenal’s upcoming stars.

LB: Kieran Gibbs

The 34-year-old played out his final days with Inter Miami, although he had his contract terminated by mutual consent just a few months before Lionel Messi joined the squad.

Since stepping away from the pitch in March, Gibbs has taken up a role in the Inter Miami broadcasting team which produces plenty of content on Apple TV.

CM: Mikel Arteta

It’s crazy to think that Arsenal’s last triumph at Anfield came with Arteta on the pitch and now he’ll be looking to do the same but from the dugout.

Arteta’s bond with the Arsenal faithful is undeniable and you certainly can’t knock the improvements that have been made on and off the pitch with the Spaniard at the helm.

READ: We asked Mikel Arteta for his ideal five-a-side team… and his answer was wonderfully chaotic

CM: Abou Diaby

In the case of Diaby, who knows just how good he could have been, had it not been for the injuries which plagued his career. The French midfielder only featured sparingly for Arsenal after this trip to Anfield and he eventually departed in 2015.

Following some more rough years with injury, Diaby hung up his boots in 2017 at the age of just 32.

RM: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Aaron Ramsey, ’72)

The Ox is one of the few players to have played for both Arsenal and Liverpool during the Premier League era. These days you can catch him in Turkey where he seems to be enjoying life at Besiktas.

Like Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey was also on the move in the summer. The Welsh midfielder made his return to boyhood club Cardiff City and he already has three goals in his first six outings of the season.

"IT WAS HIS DREAM TO SCORE AGAINST SWANSEA WITH A CARDIFF BADGE ON HIS CHEST!"

Aaron Ramsey calmly slots home the penalty! 🥶 pic.twitter.com/AgC4Njk1VG

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 16, 2023

CAM: Santi Cazorla

Undoubtedly, one of the most entertaining players of the Wenger era. Cazorla was like lightning in a bottle during his peak and he sealed the three points against Liverpool in 2012 with the game’s second goal.

At 39 years old, he’s still going strong today too. Following a stint with Qatari side Al Sadd, the Spanish playmaker made his return to Europe in the summer to join Real Oviedo.

LM: Lukas Podolski (Andrey Santos, ’82)

Arsenal fans will always have time for the German forward who scored 31 goals in 82 appearances for the Gunners. The 38-year-old is still playing to this day for Polish side Gornik Zabrze in the Ekstraklasa.

Santos didn’t quite have the same impact during his spell with the Gunners. Since hanging up his boots, Santos has opened a restaurant in Brazil, which we happened to visit a few years back.

READ: I visited Andre Santos’ restaurant and it’s exactly as bad as you’d expect

ST: Olivier Giroud 

The French forward made Arsenal fans pull their hair out at times as Giroud tended to be either unplayable or unrecognisable in a Gunners top.

His Arsenal record of 105 goals in 253 appearances certainly isn’t too shabby though and he’s still putting them away today for AC Milan in the twilight years of his career.

READ NEXT: Comparing Arsenal and Liverpool’s start to 23-24 with their last Premier League winning campaign

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