Arsenal are not ready for the top flight after all. At Anfield Road, the Gunners, who have been on a strong run of form lately, went down 4-0 to Liverpool
With a win, the Gunners could have overtaken LFC, and the capital city side (eight wins, two draws, no defeats since the beginning of September) appeared at Anfield with a correspondingly broad chest. Nevertheless, the home side increasingly took control of the game after the opening phase.
From then on, Arsenal attacked mainly through counter-attacks, after one of which Oxlade-Chamberlain blocked Saka on the five-yard line (17th). The Reds also had a thick board to drill, despite 70 per cent possession at times, after just under half an hour Thiago and Mané together recorded the first good chance (29.).
Klopp and Arteta clash
It was the Senegalese who scored the first goal after coaches Klopp and Arteta had clashed on the touchline: Alexander-Arnold’s sharp free-kick cross was headed into the far corner by Mané (39). Ramsdale, who had earlier saved from Salah (35.) and Alexander-Arnold (37.), was beaten. The Reds’ lead was certainly deserved at exactly this level.
The Arteta eleven also started appealingly for a second time after the break, but again LFC gained the upper hand rather quickly. The visitors were doomed by their courageous, but by no means flawless, build-up play. The pressing Reds forced numerous high ball wins and counterattacks, and the 2020 champions became the dominant team.
A hair-raising mis-pass gives Reds the early decision
Similarly, the 2:0 came about: Tavares played a hair-raising mispass after winning the ball, the ball came to Jota in the Gunners penalty area. The Portuguese got around the naively speculating Gabriel and Ramsdale and pushed the leather into the deserted goal (52.). At the same time Liverpool kept their opponents away from their own goal, only Aubameyang knocked on again (65.).
In the second period, it was a difference in class, a demonstration of power by LFC. The Reds’ attack turned up the heat, especially after counter-attacks: Jota failed to score against Ramsdale (68th), Salah (73rd) and the substitute Minamino (77th) completed wonderfully played out attacks. The Cannoniers were not granted a consolation goal either, Alisson only had to intervene again against Thomas’ long-range shot (75th).
