In July, a loss to Arsenal ensured Liverpool could no longer finish the season with a record points total, while in August they kicked off the domestic season with a penalty shoot-out loss to Arsenal in the Community Shield. Although neither match had much on the line, there were signs that, despite possessing a weak squad, Mikel Arteta was building a team capable of upsetting their more successful opponents.
Arteta continued with the 3-4-3 shape that has guided Arsenal to a 100% record so far this season.
Jurgen Klopp made one change to the team that beat Chelsea: Joe Gomez fit to return to the centre of defence, allowing Fabinho to move forward into Jordan Henderson’s spot at the base of the midfield in Liverpool’s usual 4-3-3 formation.
Liverpool adapted their shape to play through Arsenal. Georginio Wijnaldum dropped back alongside Fabinho, enabling the pair to position themselves either side of Alexandre Lacazette in the gaps between Arsenal’s front three. To combat this, Arsenal would often push Mohamed Elneny or Granit Xhaka forward to pick up Wijnaldum, allowing Lacazette to move across and block the pass into Fabinho.
The issue with this was that Arsenal’s wingers remained narrow, so although Liverpool couldn’t pass into the midfielders, they could pass out to the full-backs to tap the ball back inside to Roberto Firmino dropping off or Naby Keita pushing forward between the lines. That pair typically outnumbered Arsenal in that space due to Xhaka or Elneny moving forward to pick up Wijnaldum.
Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane would make runs from the outside of the centre-backs into the middle to make use of the space left by Firmino. Much as he had against Leeds, the Senegalese was drifting so far inside that Arsenal were finding it hard to track him, testing Bernd Leno’s reflexes early on with a shot from the right side of the six yard box.
Arsenal were defending well, adjusting their shape to Liverpool, but the Reds were superb in possession, patiently moving the ball around until they could find a free man and play out.
Arsenal’s possession play was also decent though. When passing out, natural left-back Kieran Tierney would pull out to the left flank as Hector Bellerin did on the right, forming a back four. Mane would concern himself with Bellerin and Rob Holding, Salah with David Luiz and Tierney and Firmino with the midfielders. With a double pivot it was natural for Wijnaldum and Keita to push up and get tight to Elneny and Xhaka, especially when the situation arose for Firmino to leave them in order to press the goalkeeper or centre-backs. This left a gap in the left inside channel for Ainsley Maitland-Niles to drop into and pick up the ball.
This led to Arsenal’s opening goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold then Gomez were pulled forward to cover as the ball was slipped in between Salah and Keita to Maitland-Niles and worked down the left flank. Liverpool recovered and Maitland-Niles’ cross was poor but Andy Robertson managed to backheel his touch into the path of Lacazette to loop over Alisson Becker.
It didn’t take long for Liverpool to equalise though. Virgil van Dijk played over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s head to Alexander-Arnold, dragging Maitland-Niles out of the backline to confront the Scouser. Salah pulled Tierney wide behind him, leaving Luiz isolated as Firmino and Keita made runs through the middle. Luiz dealt with the problem through unfair means, pulling down Keita, but the referee played on as Firmino played in Salah, racing past the isolated Tierney to get a shot away, with Mane finishing the rebound.
The same happened minutes later. Maitland-Niles was dragged out to close down Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk lofted a long ball out wide to draw Tierney to the touchline. Although Arsenal slowed Liverpool down and got men back, with both Tierney and Maitland-Niles wide Robertson was able to make an untracked run into the box to meet Alexander-Arnold’s cross and make up for his earlier mistake.
With Liverpool pressing high – and often winning the ball back high – Arsenal began attempting to take advantage of their high line. Luiz would send balls over the top for the forwards to chase and Arteta’s first substitution was Xhaka for Dani Ceballos, adding someone to slip passes in behind.
Liverpool on the other hand simply looked to keep hold of possession and force Arsenal into chasing them, holding complete control over the match. Minutes from time, substitute Diogo Jota sealed the win with a goal on his debut, volleying home a cleared cross.
Arsenal put in a very good performance but there was a clear gulf in quality between them and the champions. Liverpool were brilliantly sharp for the second game in a row, easing fears that they were becoming complacent after a so-so run-in last season and an iffy start against Leeds.
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