Robertson and Alexander-Arnold prove doubters wrong
Mention Liverpool full-backs and an image quickly comes to mind of swift raids down the flanks, endless crosses and a major headache for opposing defences.
Not for nothing do Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson have a competition each season over who provides the most assists.
The bread-and-butter, though, is defending. And the Reds duo here belied the myth of their supposed weaknesses having been clearly targeted by Arsenal.
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Certainly, Alexander-Arnold had his hands full with Gabriel Martinelli, the Brazilian shifted out to the left and twice causing consternation before the break when bypassing the right-back.
One of those occasions saw Robertson cover to mop up the danger, typical of a showing in which he was given the onerous task of quelling the threat of Bukayo Saka.
That the Arsenal winger had long departed by full-time underlined how the Liverpool man comprehensively won that battle, an outstanding performance epitomised by his role in the Reds’ second goal as sheer desire saw him charge down Saka’s clearance, burst into the area and cross low for Firmino to score.
Perhaps motivated by having fellow Scottish international left-back Kieran Tierney in opposition, Robertson was inspired.
Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, gained reward for dutifully sticking to his task against Martinelli by helping Liverpool earn a seventh clean sheet in nine Premier League games, 17 for the season.
Firmino sends reminder
The longer Liverpool’s attack continued to misfire, the more frequent became glances towards the touchline.
There he was, Mohamed Salah, the forward whose fitness and future had been the main talking points in the build-up to this game.
However, it turns out everybody had been looking at the wrong player.
Stood alongside Salah was Roberto Firmino, perennial slayer of Arsenal but whose outings have become increasingly infrequent since the signings of Diogo Jota and, more recently, Luis Diaz.
While Firmino, like Salah and indeed Sadio Mane, is approaching the final 12 months of his contract, there hasn’t been the same consternation over the Brazilian, a sign perhaps of the Reds’ reduced reliance on his presence.
But this cameo was a timely reminder of why Firmino, while not possessing the bustling goal threat of Jota or the pace and trickery of Diaz, remains unparalleled in this Liverpool squad with his ability to retain possession and press from the front.
That was encapsulated with the second goal, an attack initiated by Firmino hounding the Arsenal defence into a mistake with the striker then on hand to flick in Robertson’s cross from close range.
“The cheeky chap” - as he was called by Virgil van Dijk the other week – can still put a smile on Liverpool faces.
Alisson saves Thiago
Note to Thiago Alcantara: face the opposing goal more often.
The Spaniard’s ability to unlock a defence almost cost Liverpool after an unwise backpass put Alexandre Lacazette in on goal six minutes after the break.
Thiago was bailed out by Alisson Becker, who made a fine stop from an eventual shot from Martin Odegaard.
It was the game’s turning point. Four minutes later, Thiago finally stepped into space in midfield and made the most of it, sliding a ball in for Jota to race on to and do the rest.
The first half had been difficult for all three in the engine room, Jordan Henderson peripheral while Fabinho couldn’t quite settle on whether to push forward or guard the defence.
The approach was all too safe, too nervy, too easy for Arsenal defend.
Thiago’s telling contribution at the right end changed all that, although it must be said Liverpool, and Henderson in particular, had already shown signs in the second half of addressing earlier issues.
And by the end, they had wrested complete control, the skipper earning praise from the travelling fans. Job done.
