CHRIS SUTTON: Liverpool put a new-look Arsenal team in their place with a display of real authority and remain the team to beat for the title
This was a display of real authority by Liverpool. This was Jurgen Klopp’s side putting Mikel Arteta’s new-look Arsenal team in their place.
They dominated this match at Anfield, and it’s been a brilliant start to the season by the defending champions.
While the other supposed contenders are going through wobbles – namely Manchester City with that 5-2 walloping by Leicester – Liverpool have shown why they remain the team to beat for the title.
Liverpool delivered a display of real authority against Arsenal and remain the team to beat
Mikel Arteta’s team gave up possession once again at Anfield but his game plan did not work
Sadio Mane is looking lethal. Defenders must be petrified of him, with the statistics saying no Premier League player has won possession in the final third more than him this season.
Diogo Jota came on for Mane and could have had a hat-trick in those final 10 minutes! He bolsters their bench, while Thiago Alcantara is a classy operator who will help Klopp this season, too.
It didn’t look like it would be an easy start for Liverpool. Their first three league fixtures were against Leeds at home, Chelsea away, then Arsenal here. They could have tripped up against any of those. Instead, they’ve got three wins.
Diogo Jota came on for Sadio Mane and could even have had a hat-trick in the final 10 minutes
City will know they cannot let Liverpool run away in the league, given what happened last season. The question is, who’s going to stop Klopp’s side?
Arteta spoke about how his players need to be adaptable and against a team like Liverpool, he knows they cannot go toe-to-toe.
That is why Arteta, despite his preference for playing with the ball, gives it up when he faces Klopp’s side.
Arteta knows that Arsenal are not capable of going toe-to-toe with the defending champions
It worked when they faced Liverpool at the Emirates and Wembley previously, with Arsenal managing 31 and 40 per cent possession respectively and picking up positive results.
But that game plan didn’t work here. Arsenal had 34 per cent possession on this occasion and, particularly in the first half, struggled for presence up front. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang barely had a sniff of goal.
Liverpool showed a greater intensity, posed the bigger threat throughout and got the win they deserved.
