'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQb/2gAIAQEAAAAAgTf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAF/9oACAECEAAAADv/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/9oACAEDEAAAAH//xAAfEAABBAICAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEEgAFBkERFXH/2gAIAQEAAT8A5DAkTNzNf1imnYSaNh9bfgmiaqNSelDPQjqVrh9iqOf/xAAXEQEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAAED/9oACAECAQE/AFugrn//xAAZEQEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAAMEETH/2gAIAQMBAT8AtyWiTzU//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
It was men versus boys at Anfield as Liverpool overwhelmed Arsenal 4-0 in a lopsided game at Anfield. Goals from Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah and substitute Takumi Minamino sealed a comfortable victory for Jurgen Klopp's men. Meanwhile, Arsenal saw their unbeaten eight-game streak in the league come to an end in ruthless fashion.
With the win, Liverpool are just four points off league-leaders Chelsea after a shock defeat to West Ham at the London Stadium. Mane opened the scoring in the closing minutes of the first half with a well-timed header from a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross.
The home side then changed gears in the second half. They choked Arsenal in the middle of the field, giving them no room to play out from the back or keep possession.
Trending
Tremendous pressing from Liverpool eventually forced mistakes from the away side as Jota capitalised on an error by Nuno Tavares. Salah and substitute Minamino also scored in the second half, with the Japanese scoring with his first touch of the night.
Arsenal looked like an organised team in the first half. But Liverpool upped the ante after the break, which was too much to handle for a rather young Arsenal XI. The Gunners found themselves on the back foot throughout the 90, with Mikel Arteta's men barely having any clear-cut opportunities on goal.
On that note, here's a look at the five talking points from the game.
#5 Relentless pressing and counter-pressing from Liverpool overwhelm Arsenal
For large swathes of the game, players spend time on the pitch without the ball. How they use that period determines how the team plays. No other team understands this better than Liverpool.
'Klopp-ball' never seemed to take a toll on Liverpool as they took pressing to another level last night. Arsenal were dismantled everywhere across the pitch. The work rate produced by the home side was scintillating. Every time an Arsenal player touched the ball, he had at least three Liverpool players charging at him.
Liverpool, after scoring their second goal, didn't take their foot off the accelerator. An incredible atmosphere helped their cause as they man-handled Arsenal's midfield and defence every time the home side had possession.
#4 Aaron Ramsdale is unlucky to be on the losing side
Usually, if a team concedes four goals away from home, often the keeper is just as poor as his defenders. But Aaron Ramsdale was one of Arsenal's better performers on the night against Liverpool.
If not for the Englishman, it could have been a rout for Liverpool. Ramsdale produced saves from point-blank range against Mane, Salah and Jota. He provided Arsenal a glimmer of hope for the future as it could have easily been one of the most humiliating nights for the club.
Ramsdale raised a few eyebrows after his £24 million move to Arsenal. But he has proven that he is worth the money Arsenal paid him. The 23-year-old has been a terrific addition to the young Arsenal squad. But a rampant Liverpool side was too much to handle for him on the night.
#3 Lack of experience hurts Arsenal against Liverpool
The project Mikel Arteta is leading at Arsenal is an exciting one for the long term, with plenty of high-potential youngsters in the Spaniard's squad. But for instant results, experience is key.
Sambi Lokonga was found to be the weak link in the second half. Although the Belgian was confident of holding the middle of the park in the first half, the 22-year-old could not keep up with Liverpool in the second.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Takehiro Tomiyasu and 21-year-old Tavares, Arsenal's full-back pairing, were no match for Liverpool's pacy forwards in the second half. As Liverpool started to get into their groove, Arsenal's young line-up started panicking. Despite Arteta's numerous attempts from the touchline to calm things down, a lack of experience eventually played against Arsenal's favour.
#4 Liverpool's overloads on the flanks were a menace
You know, it's game over when Jürgen Klopp asks Trent Alexander-Arnold to push higher up the field. The German was seen giving similar instructions last night, asking Alexander-Arnold to join Salah up front and make it tougher for Nuno Tavares to defend the space.
Liverpool's overload can overwhelm a lot of teams in England and Europe. With their offensive full-backs, along with the incredible speed and precision their African wing-duo possesses, almost every opposition has felt the might of Liverpool.
Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka did everything they could to help their full-backs on both sides of the pitch. But even in 2v2 situations, it was Liverpool who often came out on top. As the game wore on, Anfield started to look like a ridiculously huge pitch for Arsenal to defend.
#1 Jurgen Klopp gets his tactics spot on
Gegenpressing was in full flow under the lights at Anfield as Liverpool yet again thrashed their opponents in front of a sold-out crowd.
Liverpool at Anfield, managed by Jurgen Klopp, has been by far Arsenal's worst nightmare. The Gunners have conceded a whopping 22 cumulative goals in their last six games at this historic stadium. Major credit for the same goes to Liverpool: manager Jurgen Klopp.
The German tactician was yet again spot on with his player selections and tactics. Picking Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and Thiago Alcantara to play alongside Fabinho in midfield was surely a gamble in such a game, but it paid off well. The Spaniard's composure to break the lines in the middle while Oxlade's high pressing game were something too hot to handle for Arsenal's midfield.
Things exacerbated in the second half for Arsenal. Liverpool came out with renewed vigour after half-time. It was clear that despite being in front, Klopp was unhappy with the work ethic of his players in the first half. That soon changed as Liverpool blew Arsenal off the park.
