Liverpool tasted defeat in their latest Premier League match as they lost to Arsenal.
The Reds were beaten 3-2 by the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The loss leaves Jurgen Klopp’s side in 10th place in the table and 14 points adrift of top spot.
Despite goals from Darwin Nunez and Roberto Firmino, it would not be enough to leave North London with any points. Gabriel Martinelli and a Bukayo Saka brace, with his second coming from the penalty spot, sealed the defeat to Liverpool.
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To make matters worse, Klopp confirmed after the match that Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz suffered injuries. The Reds boss admitted that the pair needed scans for further assessment.
Plenty of national media outlets were in attendance to watch Liverpool’s defeat. And here is a round-up of what they had to say.
Martin Samuel, via the Mail Online
“Liverpool will claim rough justice, that Thiago Alcantara's penalty area foul on Gabriel Jesus was judged harshly, that they should have had a first-half penalty for handball. Yet Thiago's challenge was clumsy - nowhere near a clear and obvious error by Oliver - and Gabriel's arm was close to the play made by Diogo Jota when the ball struck it. It is hard to fathom how he could have got it out of the way and his position did not appear unnatural.. So, both times, this seemed a reasonable call.
“Indeed, moments before the penalty, Alisson had made a fine double save from Saka and Jesus. And Arsenal were the stronger team in the second half and led three times. Liverpool never led.
“The game was level for 33 minutes, with Arsenal ahead for 57. Their slender victory, then, was the fairest result.”
Jason Burt, via The Telegraph
“For Liverpool it was a defeat that leaves them in 10th place, 14 points behind the leaders and even this early in the season it appears a deficit that surely they cannot claw back as Jurgen Klopp has already indicated.
“If Liverpool do not look like title challengers in this campaign then Arsenal are beginning to take that guise. Manchester City, despite dropping back into second-place, remain the clear favourites but there is a gathering threat from north London. Tottenham may well be in the equation, maybe also Chelsea, but Arsenal’s start is now hugely impressive with eight wins from their nine league games.
“To add to Klopp’s woes there were injuries to contend with as he lost Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz in the first-half. That period was book-ended by goals that will have delighted Arteta and angered Klopp. Arsenal were clinical; Liverpool’s defending was comical.”
Henry Winter, via The Times
“This felt like a landmark win for Arsenal, a deserved victory over significant opponents who had done the Premier League double over them in the past two seasons. This felt another reminder of the wisdom in trusting the process under Mikel Arteta, and even those Arsenal fans who doubted him a year ago sing his praises loudly now.
“Arsenal had not won here in the league against Liverpool in front of their own fans for seven years, partly because of the pandemic, and the Emirates was shaking with passion, hope and expectation. Arsenal fans vehemently disputed decisions that went against them. They cheered every run of Gabriel Martinelli, every challenge of Ben White, every dribble of Bukayo Saka, and then his two goals. They believed.
“Liverpool responded but Arsenal were better. On the weekend of the seventh anniversary of Jürgen Klopp’s appointment as Liverpool manager, his 393rd game was ultimately painful. His defence was opened up far too easily, and Trent Alexander-Arnold was caught out for Arsenal’s first two goals, and the right-back did not reappear after the break after taking a bad knock to his ankle.
“Liverpool have now failed to win any of their opening four away Premier League games for the first time since 2010-11 under Roy Hodgson. They need to rediscover their old energy and intensity but simply found Arsenal too determined. Simply better on the day.”
Nick Ames, via The Guardian
“It is time to believe the hype. There was a sense Arsenal needed to take the scalp of an age-old nemesis to fully assert their credentials and they answered every question here. This was a see-sawing, fully engaging encounter but Mikel Arteta’s players were ultimately better in every department, performing with clarity and a rattling intensity against a Liverpool team more reliant on flashes and moments.
“They had not scored in six games against these opponents but corrected that within a minute through the exceptional Gabriel Martinelli, who laid on the second for Bukayo Saka and then watched his teammate win the match with a penalty. Although Darwin Núñez and Roberto Firmino scored equalisers, a third would have flattered the visitors.
“Jürgen Klopp has never been shy to express his admiration for Martinelli, such a dazzling and high-octane talent who plays with a relentlessness worthy of the German’s best teams, but must have been cursing him within 57 seconds. It is easy to observe that, week after week, Arsenal start games at a breathtaking tempo; nullifying it is more difficult, especially when an opponent offers the space Liverpool allowed in those early stages.
“Nonetheless it was a sublimely executed goal of the type that has become so familiar here. A Liverpool attack failed to stick and immediately the ball was spirited to the right where Saka, in exactly the situation that suits him best, ate up the ground in front. A sideways pass to Martin Ødegaard and then, from the captain, a cutely-slipped ball between Joel Matip and Trent Alexander-Arnold: it was a classic Arteta-era combination but still needed finishing, which Martinelli did with aplomb on the run.”
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