UNSTOPPABLE
Van Dijk called it ‘almost perfect’ and this rampant display sent out a massive message to City & Co: This time we mean
VIRGIL VAN DIJK hailed this Liverpool performance as “almost perfect.”
Everyone else should look at it as hugely significant because it sent the strongest message yet that the Reds are ready to be crowned champions.
This was a big test for Liverpool, against one of the top six at home, and they fell behind to an early goal in a week when everyone had been talking about pressure and whether Jurgen Klopp’s men could handle it.
Well, here was the answer in the most emphatic fashion. They overwhelmed Arsenal, Anfield was rocking, and this victory was a hugely impressive step towards the title.
While Tottenham cracked, Liverpool showed Manchester City and the rest of the Premier League that they have got absolutely no intention of going the same way.
You can feel the sense of anticipation
Merseyside.
And the remaining nine Premier League games at Anfield will only get more tense as Liverpool fans sense an end to a 28-year wait for the title.
The front three all scored – Roberto Firmino a hat-trick, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah from the penalty spot – for a team which right now looks unstoppable.
“We were almost perfect. We conceded the goal and that was the only bad thing,” said van Dijk. “But it was an important win. We have finished 2018 pretty well and hopefully in the air on we can keep that going. Confidence is definitely high but it can change over a couple of games. We won’t get carried away. We need to keep doing what we have been doing. There will be setbacks, as there always is in life, but it’s how you react that counts. And so far we have been doing pretty well.
“At the beginning of the season people were saying the front three hadn’t clicked for us. But you saw in this game that at times they can be un-defendable. It’s scary, and I’m happy to see that.”
Liverpool also have options all over the pitch. They have back-up full backs, stand-by centre-halves, the midfield is rotated each week, and behind them all is a world-class keeper in summer signing Alisson.
It was difficult to work out which of Firmino’s first two goals was more embarrassing for Arsenal, whose defending was straight out of Sunday League. Stephan Lichtsteiner smashed a loose ball against Shkodran Mustafi to present Firmino with an open goal and then three defenders appeared to fall at the Liverpool No.9’s feet as he slalomed his way unchallenged through the penalty box.
It feels like it can finally be Liverpool’s year. And rather than run away from the pressure or shy away from talking about Thursday’s trip to champions Manchester City, they are clearly bang up for the challenge.
There is a fearlesness running through the group, epitomised by left-back Andy Robertson, an unsung hero. The Scot has been in the team just over a year but his name is sung as loudly as anyone’s by the Kop because of his neversay-die attitude.
Arsenal switched systems to push Ainsley Maitland-niles – who put Gunners into a short-lived lead – and Alex Iwobi wide in a bid to stop the runs of Robertson and Trent Alexander-arnold, but it did not work.
Playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri was excellent again and is fast becoming the best value-formoney signing of last summer. The £13.5million bargain buy from Stoke also believes that Liverpool can get even better.
The Swiss international said: “You can improve all the time. We can always improve.
“Obviously we play very good football, and that’s important for the fans. But it’s also important to win games, to have three points in the bag every game.
“I think as a team everybody gives everything. The mix is very very good and you can see that.
“To win the game was not simple but once again we showed great character.
“We have to keep going, to work hard every day in training. I’m sure if we keep going like this we are going to be very successful.”