Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal celebrations say it all as Jurgen Klopp’s farewell tour dealt blow

Liverpool could not raise themselves against Arsenal and that could be the biggest obstacle stopping Jurgen Klopp’s farewell tour from becoming one long victory parade

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Arsenal 3-1 Liverpool: John Cross’ verdict

Mikel Arteta’s crazy, delirious celebration down the touchline told its own story.

It was a huge victory for Arsenal and a massive result for the title race because it blew it all wide open again. And it came after a breathless game with two catastrophic mistakes involving two of the best defenders in the Premier League. William Saliba and Virgil van Dijk never normally make any errors.

Arsenal were well worth their win, they were superb in a performance underpinned by brilliant midfield performances from Jorginho, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.

Gabriel Martinelli supplied the pace which clearly scared Liverpool who looked jaded after eight games in 35 days and the visitors finished the game with ten men after Ibrahima Konate was sent off for two yellow cards.

Liverpool just could not raise themselves again and that could be the biggest obstacle stopping Jurgen Klopp’s farewell tour from becoming one long victory parade.

The away end was virtually empty by the final whistle while Arsenal’s fans celebrated a win that not even the most optimistic supporter probably thought was going to happen.

But Arteta got it spot on tactically. For so much of this season, the midfield just has not looked right. It is hard to fathom how they made one of the signings of the season in Rice and yet the balance has been nowhere near as good.

However, it was easy to understand why Arteta went bombing down the touchline in sheer delight after Leandro Trossard’s third and decisive goal.

Gunners boss Arteta even got his substitutes spot on and benefitting from an extra man in midfield allowed them to dominate Liverpool.

Mikel Arteta celebrates on the touchline (

Image:

Michael Zemanek/REX/Shutterstock)

Arsenal made a turbocharged start as Bukayo Saka could have scored even before he delivered the opener after just 14 minutes.

Odegaard’s pass played in the hard-working Kai Havertz, Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker made a good save but Saka put in the rebound.

There was only one team in it. But Arsenal pressed the self-destruct button in the third minute of first-half injury time. Ryan Gravenberch played in Luis Diaz, Saliba tried to shepherd the ball back to Arsenal keeper David Raya when he should have just cleared it.

Instead of smashing it into Row Z by which time the half time whistle would have gone, Saliba got himself into a tangle with Diaz and the ball ended up going in off Gabriel’s hand. What a shambles.

Liverpool were the better team at the start of the second half as Arsenal took some time to recover from their mix-up. But slowly, Arsenal came back and began to reassert some authority and then they got their second goal after 67 minutes.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were beaten 3-1 in London (

Image:

PA)

Gabriel’s long clearance sent Martinelli sprinting away, Van Dijk and Alisson got into a terrible mix-up. Alisson should have cleaned everything out – van Dijk included – but they collided and Martinelli was presented with an empty net to roll the ball into.

Konate, who had already been booked for a trip on Havertz, then got his marching orders after 88 minutes for a second yellow card, this time for a body check again on Havertz.

The extra-man advantage gave Arsenal more space. Trossard broke down the left before cutting inside and his low shot got a small deflection off van Dijk which took the ball through Alisson’s legs. Which just about summed up Liverpool’s afternoon.

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Liverpool will undoubtedly be back and will benefit from a full week’s rest after such a hectic schedule.

But Arsenal will know that defeat could have ended their title race and yet victory breathed new life and belief into their challenge.

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