Sadio Mane leads Liverpool to 4-0 victory to end Arsenal’s unbeaten run | Premier League

[ad_1]

Mikel Arteta went toe-to-toe with Jurgen Klopp on the touchline but the same cannot be said for his players on the pitch. Liverpool halted Arsenal’s vibrant and youthful revival in an emphatic fashion, causing familiar agony to its visitors from the Emirates as they made a comprehensive recovery.

Aaron Ramsdale sparkled again with an Arsenal goal but was beaten four times as Liverpool moved up to second place in the table, four points behind Chelsea thanks to goals from Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah, substitute Takumi Minamino and a strong second-half display. .

Anfield has been home to several recent Arsenal nightmares as Liverpool have scored at least three times in all of their last five home wins in the Premier League. This miserable record, combined with the pedigree of the hosts, made this visit a stern test of their impressive recovery under Arteta.

The confidence that was engineered through 10 games unbeaten was evident in the visitors’ willingness to invite Liverpool pressure into their penalty area with a view to breaking through. But brave intentions were undermined by Arsenal’s inability to retain possession when they found Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Alexandre Lacazette in the final third. Often isolated, the pair Bukayo Saka and especially Emile Smith Rowe sidelined them on the fringes, as a result of which pressure built on their back streak.

Liverpool’s breakthrough was coming by the time Mane’s header, although the match was slow and daunting in the opening 32 minutes. It took a flare-up among the directors to deliver the first true incident and ignite a much-needed competition.

Klopp was not particularly impressed when Mane was penalized for colliding with Takehiro Tomiyasu with his falling arm while defying a header and making his feelings clear to referee Michael Oliver. Arteta was infuriated, racing on the touchline and making a salvo of the Liverpool manager before being held back by assistant coach Steve Round. Arteta kept trying to get to Klopp, who was blocked by his coaching staff, and both managers were booked once the brawl finally ended. The cup made clear his feelings for the former Everton midfielder. They should have thanked him, in hindsight, as Liverpool immediately raised their pace and took control.

Aaron Ramsdale was hired for pay – unlike Alisson in Liverpool’s goal – and produced his first meaningful save when Fabinho found hugely influential Trent Alexander-Arnold in space on the right. The full-back crossed with a header from Ben White to Thiago Alcantara, who shot cleanly but directly at the Arsenal goalkeeper. Ramsdale was unable to hold on, giving Mane a bite from the rebound, but the goalkeeper responded expertly to take out the attacker’s attempt at the chips while on the ground.

Ramsdale bore his chest again as Liverpool opened up Arsenal’s defense for the first time. Mane released Konstantinos Tsimikas from the line and left back, seconded by the injured Andy Robertson, a superb cross for Mohamed Salah. The goalkeeper saved his first shot, which pushed the ball away from Salah’s feet, to be directed by Gabriel Magalhaes.

Liverpool, the players, the fans and the management huddled in unison, not giving Arsenal’s defense any respite. Cracks began to appear. Alexander-Arnold received a pass from Thiago, cut inside White and saved another kick from Ramsdale who missed in the middle of his own goal. The Arsenal goalkeeper has pleaded with his teammates to improve his protection. The call went unheeded.

Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta had to move away from each other on the touchline in a flashpoint that seemed to energize the home team players and the crowd. Photo: Tim Keaton/EPA

Moments later, Alexander-Arnold fired a free kick deep into the visitors’ area as Mane ran between Gabriel and Tomiasso to plant a header in the textbook at Ramsdale’s goal. In Arteta’s view, the concession was a poor target. Klopp may have appreciated the switch from a set-piece after his side’s troubles with them in the loss to West Ham earlier in the month.

With Ramsdale’s resistance finally broken, and Arsenal offering little in attack, Liverpool sought to press their supremacy immediately after the start of the second half. Ex-gunner Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain only hit a long shot after Fabinho fired it into the penalty area.

A fatal mistake by Arsenal left-back Nuno Tavares gave the hosts the comfort of a two-goal lead. Tavares appeared to have done his homework when he won the ball from Alexander-Arnold but, taking the ball forward, played a needless reverse pass straight to Jota. The Portugal international pounced with superb accuracy. At first he read White’s overcommitted challenge and stepped into the midfield half before Ramsdale’s foul turned into an empty net.

Klopp’s side was flying through the Arsenal defense as he pleased. But for Ramsdale, the guests would have faced an even greater defeat. The new England international made a brave save at Jota’s feet as the forward Salah came clean. Jota denied again, this time with a good reaction only after Salah opened the Arsenal penalty area with a superb pass. When Arsenal finally broke the pressure, Alisson Aubameyang blocked with his feet.

The Fiver: Sign up and get our daily soccer email.

Salah’s performance was rewarded with the goal he deserved when he hit Mane’s cross from close range. The move had started with Alisson being pushed out of defense for Tsimikas, who headed to Jota to send the Senegal international away.

The other flowing team move came in fourth. Mane, Salah and Alexander-Arnold combined a set of first-time passes for Minamino to take advantage of the goal at the back post seconds after coming off the bench.

[ad_2]