Our member Daphne Leong shares his visit to The Arsenal to watch the team take on Liverpool FC in January 2026.

The weather has been frosty and icy since New Year’s Day, with some pitches frozen and matches postponed the past week in other parts of England. On this Thursday, we were seeing serious precipitation with feel-like temperatures of 0 to -3 degrees.

We had wanted to show up early to walk past Highbury Square, get pizza along the way, and visit the Armoury – 4:30pm you’d think. From Finsbury park it was a pleasant walk with a bit of a chilly drizzle, walking past burger stands and stalls selling half-and-half scarves. It turns out we could’ve been earlier, as it was already dark and pattering down when we finally got to take pictures on the grounds (see my waterproof coat struggling in its role at the Henry statue).

After efficiently clearing the queue and security checks, we were inside at 6:15pm, to have a cup of tea, some hot chips, and more pictures (but mostly to avoid being in the cold rain). Looking at the relentless rain in the strong wind through the bright stadium lights, one would expect conditions to be dangerous for the players – but the Carpet at the Emirates was one of the best in the world, with undersoil heating (possibly the real reason Conor Bradley was getting comfortable!)

The atmosphere for the opening was beautiful, a display of red and white from every seat, lights dimmed with pyrotechnics, and then of course the North London anthem. The music, the chants, the lights – it was a great show and everyone in the stadium was a part of it.

The view we had was amazing, Clock End on the upper tier, directly above the goal. Despite a goalless draw, there were many ooh-and-ahh moments echoing in unison. Liverpool fans weren’t particularly loud this instance. Any attempts to complete a chant would be drowned out by the Gooners stating a new one on this Clock end!

Pundits and other fans have harshly criticized this game – but I see professional players, not making high-risk moves in the slippery conditions.

This experience has been nothing short of exhilarating – only my second time watching an Arsenal match at the Emirates, and I can’t wait for the next one!