Liverpool 3 : 1 Arsenal

Liverpool maintained their 100% start to the Premier League season after an impressive display against Arsenal at Anfield on Monday night.

The Merseysiders had some great chances in the first 25 minutes, the best of which came when Scotland international Andy Robertson’s corner was cleared into the path of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The England international struck the ball so sweetly and had it not been for a deflection off Hector Bellerin, we may have had a goal of the month contender. Instead the shot grazed off the woodwork, and was eventually headed away by Rob Holding.

The Reds caused Arsenal’s many problems in the first quarter of the match through their typical pressing game, which saw the visitors struggle to get out of their own half. But under Mikel Arteta the Gunners have nurtured into a counter-attacking side, and in the 25th minute we saw a great example of it.

Arsenal played some neat one touch play which lead to Ainsley Maitland-Niles breaking forward. With new boy Willian making a run into the box, Maitland-Niles tried to pick him out. Robertson tried to clear it away, but instead played the ball into the path of Alexandre Lacazette, whose scuffed shot went into the net giving the North London side the lead against the run of play.

But near enough straight from the kick off Liverpool were back on level terms.

The referee played on a Reds’ attack after Naby Keita was brought down by David Luiz, and it was a decision that benefitted them. Roberto Firmino laid off Mo Salah who glided away from Kieran Tierney and let off a shot. Bernd Leno got a hand to it, but Sadio Mane was there on the rebound to tap home the equaliser.

Just six minutes later Jurgen Klopp’s men turned the game around.

The goal saw the two full-backs combine with a pinpoint cross from Alexander-Arnold to find Robertson, who brought it down and poked it past Leno. The Scot who had been at fault for Arsenal’s goal, had redeemed himself by putting Liverpool into a thoroughly deserved lead.

Liverpool were once again the stronger side in second half, but Arsenal could have, and potentially should have got back on level terms. A Granit Xhaka pass carved through the Liverpool defence and put Lacazatte in on goal. However Allison came out to deny the French forward his second of the night.

In truth that was the Gunners’ only great moment after the interval as the Reds sought the kill off the game.

With ten minutes remaining Diogo Jota came on for his Anfield debut and would go on to make an impact. He had three chances before the full-time whistle, the first of which hit the sidenetting. Salah onstructed the second.

The third however sealed the Champions’ victory. David Luiz had to clear away Alexander-Arnold’s ball, but it was cleared as far as the former Wolves’ man who volleyed it into the bottom corner of the net to score his first Reds’ goal.

Liverpool have set the standards Arteta wants

It is clear that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has a plan for Arsenal going forward, a plan that anyone associated the club is excited about. But it is going to be a building process at the Emirates, and last night Liverpool highlighted the standards that Arteta not only has to match, but to beat.

The Gunners really struggled to break the Liverpool press, which meant they were on thin ice whenever they tried playing out of the back.

It was far from a poor performance, but Arteta acknowledged that Liverpool’s quality had persevered on the night:

“We were in it for a big part of the game. The reality is they are superior to us in many aspects. You could see that in some phases.

“I’m really happy in the way the team competed and kept believing. This is the standard we have to reach. We are on a different journey. They’ve been together five years, we’ve had a few months. We have a long way to go in many things.”

Arsenal will be looking to make amends when they return to Anfield for their clash in the EFL Cup fourth round on Thursday night.

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