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With three minutes remaining in the added time, Alisson Becker sent a pass towards the left side of the field. However, there were no players in purple jerseys present and the ball ended up going out of bounds for a throw-in. This seemingly insignificant moment held great significance in the game of football. The crowd reacted with a mix of cheers and boos, showcasing Liverpool’s disappointing performance throughout the day.
The top priority for Sunday’s visitors in the Premier League title race is not Arsenal and their points, despite their 3-1 victory narrowing the gap to two points. The more crucial number is the distance between the current leader and Manchester City.
No matter which team comes closest to challenging the current champions, it is highly probable – almost certain – that only one of them will finish ahead of the Cityzens. Therefore, Jurgen Klopp and his team’s goal is not just to stay ahead of Arsenal, which they currently are, but to also maintain a lead over Pep Guardiola’s team.
Following this outcome, the immediate concern for Liverpool is that this is no longer applicable: if City wins their two remaining games, they will surpass Liverpool by one point at the top.
Just a couple of days following their impressive victory over Chelsea, the Reds’ performance was quite the opposite: slow, full of mistakes, lacking in attacking opportunities, and with no real effectiveness in the final third.
The goal that was scored by Liverpool’s team was comically improbable. However, considering the difficult first half they faced, it seemed fitting that their equalizer came in a ridiculous fashion.
Despite showing determination, Luis Diaz was unable to control the ball or face the goal while being surrounded by three defenders and the goalkeeper. It is questionable how the ball ended up in the net, especially with Gabriel using his hand.
Gabriel’s hand inadvertently redirected the ball into the goal, credited to Luis Diaz.
However, if that objective was almost comical, it paled in comparison to their defensive performance on the day.
Can Jurgen Klopp chalk this up to a minor setback, just a rough day that happened to fall on the worst possible day? Or is it a sign of a lack of depth, with some players not yet experienced enough to handle the intense pressure of competing for a Premier League title?
After a week of making headlines, both No.9 players were not included in the starting lineups: Darwin Nunez was only deemed fit enough for the Liverpool bench and Gabriel Jesus was completely absent from Arsenal’s matchday 20. Dominik Szoboszlai was also not present, and there was a surprise appearance from Thiago Alcantara on the visitors’ bench.
Klopp’s right flank, consisting of Conor Bradley, Szoboszlai, and Diogo Jota, had been a standout against the Blues. However, due to injuries and inconsistent performances this season, it was reconfigured with the return of Trent Alexander-Arnold and two other players starting ahead of him.
The fact that the first and third goals were scored from that particular side of weakness is not a mere coincidence. However, the underwhelming performance of the visitors was not solely restricted to the wing.
Ibrahima Konate’s positioning, not being central enough, allowed Kai Havertz to score the opening goal. Virgil van Dijk and Alisson’s lack of communication and timing led to Gabriel Martinelli’s crucial goal after halftime. Additionally, Trent Alexander-Arnold was clearly not up to speed in his first start back, giving away possession in risky areas. Konate’s late red card and poor performances from Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo only added to a disappointing day for Liverpool in north London.
Alisson and Van Dijk permitted Martinelli to make a goal.
Arsenal will not have any worries in this regard. Instead, they will be focused on understanding how they can replicate this impressive performance, particularly in the first half where they were significantly ahead of their opponents. They hope to continue this trend and maintain their lead in the title race.
There is a possibility that their opponent may not be as cooperative in the future, but that is not important. They were given chances and capitalized on them. Even if the defensive errors were not as ridiculous, they were still the superior team and had more noteworthy scoring opportunities.
Manchester City may feel encouraged, Arsenal may feel happy, but Liverpool needs to reset quickly.
The source is the independent.co.uk website.
