Majestic Liverpool smash four past Arsenal

mane and salah embrace as liverpool thump arsenal

Liverpool catapulted themselves back into the title race as they outclassed Arsenal with a merciless display.

Jurgen Klopp’s charges climb from fourth to second to leapfrog West Ham and Manchester City, and stay on league leaders Chelsea’s coattails, only four points further back.

It was the perfect response after the disappointing 3-2 defeat to West Ham prior to the international break.

The slick counter-attacking football will delight Klopp and now they can look forward to taking on FC Porto next week in the Champions League, before hosting Southampton and taking on old boss Rafa Benitez in the Merseyside derby.

First-half

The hosts began the match seeking to stay in the ascendency and stamp their mark and did so with an array of goalscoring opportunities.

Trent Alexander-Arnold whipped a delightful ball into the Arsenal penalty area, Sadio Mane headed onto Thiago Alcântara and the Spaniard’s fine driving volley was saved by the impressive Aaron Ramsdale.

And if that wasn’t enough, the England stopper stayed strong to keep out Mane’s rebound effort, as the Senegalese could only stand and smile, and wonder what more did he have to do to score.

The Ramsdale heroics continued, as Mane played in Konstantinos Tsimikas, his cross met by Mohamed Salah, only for another fine save to keep out a certain goal.

Arsenal finally had a chance of their own, and the ball in the net, as Emile Smith Rowe on the halfway line passed to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, before receiving the ball back.

He slid the ball back to the Gabonese, who found Alexandre Lacazette at the back post and the Frenchman tapped home, only for it to be ruled out for offside.

A fine trademark Arsenal attacking move nonetheless, and one that has become their DNA since Arsene Wenger arrived at the North London side.

Alexander-Arnold showed pace and skill as he ran at the Arsenal defence and his powerful left-footed piledriver was tipped over by Ramsdale.

There was some tension on the touchline, however, as managers Klopp and Mikel Arteta exchanged angry words after a Mane challenge on Takehiro Tomiyasu.

This prompted referee Michael Oliver to give the pair yellow cards for the confrontation.

But this was almost a blessing in disguise for Liverpool, as it galvanised them and the crowd, and they finally took the lead, as Alexander-Arnold, continuing his excellent display, sent in a stunning free-kick into the danger area, and Mane skipped ahead of the queue to nod in the opener with a towering header.

Klopp’s men were on the board and went into half-time with a 1-0 cushion.

 

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Second-half

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain almost doubled the lead for the Anfield giants, only for his effort to whizz wide of the post.

Diogo Jota did indeed make it 2-0 to Liverpool, as Nuno Tavares gave away the ball on the edge of his own penalty area with a terrible mistake, and the Portuguese grabbed the ball, shimmied his way around the Arsenal defence, and Ramsdale, before slamming into an empty net.

The Anfield crowd in raptures as Jota first pumped in joy.

 

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And Klopp’s men sensed their opponents were on the ropes, and almost scored a third on the counter-attack, as Alexander-Arnold sent Salah racing away down the right-hand side, the Egyptian toe-poked a classy pass across the box to Jota, only for the goal scorer to be denied by another outstanding Ramsdale save.

But they did get the third, as Alisson started the move, Jota’s flicked header on the halfway line was picked up by Mane, Arsenal caught flat-footed, their defence out of position and lost and sea, and the Senegalese sensation telepathically teed up Salah for an easy tap-in.

It was vintage Liverpool.

 

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Thomas Partey then skilled out Fabinho, and had a fine curling effort tipped over the bar by Alisson.

But it was soon game, set and match to the Reds, as Mane, Salah and Alexander-Arnold combined in a beautiful attacking move, and Takumi Minamino, moments after stepping off the bench, was there to clinically finish it off to make it 4-0, and provide the icing on the cake for a fine team performance.

Klopp’s delight

The German seemed happy that his side bounced back in style after a tough defeat to West Ham last time out.

“We had to show a reaction. The only problem was that we were not together during the international break, but the boys grew into the game today.

“This is very important in football,” he said.

“We scored for 1-0, but what I didn’t like about the first half was that we had a lot of good moments, but could have done better.

“So, we had to change that and we did after half-time with a really impressive phase and controlled the game again,” said Klopp.

“It was a very mature and exciting performance with good moments, very exciting goals, great counter-press, it was really good.

“And then finishing the situations off. It’s an impressive result, no doubt about that.”

James Spencer

My name is James and I have supported Liverpool since I was 6 years old. My favourite players growing up were Steven Gerrard and Sami Hyypia. My most memorable match would be the UEFA Cup Final win over Deportivo Alaves that finished 5-4 to Liverpool! I am studying journalism in Manchester although I am a Liverpool fan through and through.

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