Mane, Jota, Salah and Minamino crush Arsenal after a tense first half where Arteta and Klopp had a major bust-up on the Anfield touchline.
Arteta’s revival of this team after a historically bad start to the season has been genuinely impressive. In total, the side has grabbed eight wins and two draws in the last ten games.
However, it didn’t get close to surviving a forensic examination from a Liverpool team with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota all at their best.
Initially, Arsenal frustrated Liverpool for long periods by a heroic Aaron Ramsdale. But eventually, the Reds overwhelmed Arsenal and looked an unstoppable force in the second half.
Thomas Partey and Albert Sambi Lokonga were ultimately run ragged in midfield. But their evening wasn’t as traumatic as Nuno Tavares,who dealt with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mo Salah.
By the end, Liverpool was so comfortable it was hard to believe Arsenal had come into this game intent on overtaking their opponents in the table.
In-between the game, there came an extraordinary touchline row sparked by Mane’s challenge on Takehiro Tomiyasu. Arteta protested vigorously. Klopp responded, charging towards him looking for all the world he was ready to settle this here and now. Arteta didn’t back down, fronting up, screaming, by now being hauled back by backroom staff as he gesticulated wildly. Naturally, all this only stirred Anfield all the more.
Arsenal’s defiance couldn’t hold amidst the tumult. On 39 minutes, an Alexander-Arnold free kick found Mane, Gabriel allowed him far too much space. Stooping, he headed the ball firmly downwards to bounce over Ramsdale’s arm, who was naturally furious.
With pressure building up for Arsenal, Nuno Tavares stride out of defense on 52 minutes. He played pass across the penalty area directly into the path of Diogo Jota. Two-nil down.
Liverpool’s third, from Salah on 73 minutes was started by Alisson clipping a ball to Konstantinos Tsimik. In turn, he nudged it forwards to Jota, whose header played in Mane sprinting down the left. They had played through Arsenal’s midfield in three seconds and were in on goal, Mane crossing for Salah to finish.
Klopp immediately brought on Jordan Henderson and Takumi Minamino. And within sixty seconds the subs had made their mark. Again, Alisson started a move which worked its way to Henderson in midfield. He chipped the ball on to Mane, who dummied his defender, spun and played in Salah, who touched in on to Alexander-Arnold. His cross was gratefully received by Minamino at the far post, touching it in. Again, in a couple of seconds, Arsenal had been cut apart.