Thomas Partey ate his breakfast on another continent on Thursday morning, but by the evening his sending-off was handing Arsenal their just deserts.
A comical set of events these might have been, the Ghanaian rushed backed from the AFCON to pick up a red card that will rule him until after that tournament has finished.
But against the backdrop of another masterclass from Liverpool’s magnificent Fabinho, they highlighted a serious midfield problem that has only been intensified by poor planning and poor judgment this month.
Mikel Arteta’s side have struggled for balance whenever the much-maligned Granit Xhaka and Partey have not played in tandem.
Mohamed Elneny, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Albert Sambi Lokonga and even Charlie Patino have all played their part in short-lived combinations, while last night it was the turn of Martin Odegaard to play in a nominally deeper role.
Initially, Liverpool struggled to bypass a wave of energetic scuttlers behind Alexandre Lacazette, but as soon as Fabinho began to stamp his mark on the game, the writing was on the wall, as the half-empty midfield behind it was exposed.
The Brazilian earned his side a foothold, sharp in the tackle, sharper still in the mind, as he closed off the spaces between the lines in which Emile Smith Rowe usually thrives, nipping back to time a crucial, goal-saving tackle on Gabriel Martinelli.
Such was the lock and key under which he held the tie that Arteta deemed it necessary to send on Partey in a bid to wrest some midfield control.
Instead, within minutes, Fabinho had won the ball back again to start the move that led to the clincher, then proved too quick for Partey as the substitute was swiftly sent on his way.
Quite how did it come to this?
Elneny and Partey’s AFCON departures were telegraphed, but no provision was made for their return. Maitland-Niles was bafflingly allowed to leave on loan almost as soon as the window opened, only for a move for his replacement, Arthur, to stall as Juventus look for reinforcements of their own.
As for Xhaka, he, too, was rushed back and sent off, contributing to Sunday’s derby being postponed. Now, because that match did not take place, he is still banned and cannot fill the void against Burnley this weekend. You could hardly make it up.
In his apology to fans, Partey admitted that his dash back had not gone to plan. As far as their midfield woes are concerned, you have to wonder whether Arsenal have one at all.
