Liverpool FC ultimately lost the top match at Arsenal mainly because of a slapstick interlude. Virgil van Dijk didn’t want to beat about the bush
There are always these games with two completely different halves. The Emirates Stadium in north London, where third-placed Arsenal hosted leaders Liverpool in a top-of-the-table clash on Sunday evening, was one such match.
The Gunners literally overran their helpless and harmless opponents in the first period, but their coolness could not keep pace with their intensity. Instead, Arsenal snatched a curious equalizer virtually on the stroke of half-time, which gave Liverpool a very different start to the second half
Gabriel Martinelli just has to slot in
Suddenly the Reds were there. The Gunners were there again, but with the score at 1:1, a game developed in which both opponents set the tone at times. Until 2:1 – after a curious scene in the 67th minute: Gabriel sent Gabriel Martinelli towards the Liverpool penalty area, where Virgil van Dijk ran off the Brazilian and left the ball for keeper Alisson to intercept.
That went badly wrong. There was a miscommunication between the defender and goalkeeper and van Dijk’s attempted pass failed – Alisson jumped past the ball and the beneficiary Martinelli only had to slot it into the orphaned goal. Slapstick for the preliminary decision. Arsenal then kept the pressure on and eventually won 3:1 – deservedly so, as even Liverpool’s outgoing coach Jürgen Klopp found afterwards.
The 56-year-old defended his unlucky players: “This scene shows that they are human beings – and only makes the things they do otherwise even more special.” Van Dijk took a much harder line with himself:
“I should have made a better decision and I take full responsibility,” criticized the 32-year-old. He recognized the gaffe, “that’s a big moment in the game”, as a “turning point” for which he held himself responsible. “That’s on me, I should have cleared the ball.”
One of Liverpool’s key players was ruthlessly honest after a defeat that allows champions Manchester City (two games and five points down) to overtake LFC on their own. But van Dijk was still confident enough to assure Reds fans: “These things don’t happen that often in my career. I will recover from this. “
