Arsenal outgun Everton

LIVERPOOL: After a week in which Arsenal’s alleged softness and lack of fortitude were the focus of many debates, the Gunners offered a reminder yesterday that when fit and functioning as planned they remain a team which can produce genuine quality.

Despite going a goal down, Arsenal ran out 5-2 winners against Everton at Goodison Park in the Premier League, helped by the dismissal of the home side’s only defensive midfielder, Idrissa Gueye, but also inspired by an impressive attacking trio.

For the first time, Wenger was able to field German international Mesut Ozil, Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez and French striker Alexandre Lacazette together and the manager must hope he gets the chance to repeat that selection.

“I wish – but I feel the whole team played well,” said Wenger. “We were tested mentally when we were 1-0 down after a very good start in the game. We couldn’t finish, their keeper kept them in the game and suddenly we were 1-0 down.

“It was a mental test but we kept going, we kept our focus and slowly the quality of our movement, the quality of our passing gave Everton problems. After that, with the offensive strength we have, of course that made the difference,” he said.

Wenger did not shy away from praising the individuals who had been key.

“Sanchez was on fire. I believe that he comes back from injury and has worked very hard, Ozil as well. The two of them were sharp physically, very mobile and if you have their individual quality, that makes them dangerous against any defender.

Ozil glided across the midfield, eluding Everton with his clever positioning and deft touch.

“He was superb,” said Wenger, “Agile, quick, intelligent. Always at the service of the team with the quality of his passing and when he is at that level, he is an exceptional football player.

“I told him after the game that a fit Ozil is completely different. If you’re not 100 percent at your best, no matter how good you are, you are at a handicap,” he added.

“The difference is that he has worked extremely hard physically. When he’s in that shape physically, nobody can question his class or the quality of his game,” he said.

The win was Arsenal’s first away this season and Wenger said they had finally got their just rewards despite conceding early.

“I was (concerned) because recently we’ve been punished for every mistake we make away from home. But I knew there was a long time to go.

“Our away performances this season have not been rewarded,” he said.

Tottenham Hotspur brutally exposed Liverpool’s defensive frailties as Harry Kane plundered two more goals in his side’s 4-1 Premier League romp at Wembley Stadium.

In front of 80 000 fans, the biggest ever Premier League attendance, Kane took his league tally to eight for the season with the first and fourth goals in a clinical Spurs display.

Son Heung-min and Dele Alli were also on target for an impressive Spurs side, who led 3-1 at the break after a breathless first half, while Mohamed Salah’s reply had briefly given Juergen Klopp’s side hope.

Tottenham’s fourth consecutive victory, and first in the Premier League against Liverpool for five years, put them level on 20 points with secondplaced Manchester United and five behind rampant leaders Manchester City. Liverpool dropped to ninth place on 13 points. Both sides were buoyed by superb midweek results in the Champions League with Tottenham fresh from a 1-1 draw away to Real Madrid and Liverpool having scored seven in Maribor.

It was the hosts who began in razor-sharp fashion though, albeit aided by an AWOL Liverpool rearguard.

In the fourth minute, Kieran Trippier played Kane into acres of space and he cleverly dinked the ball around Simon Mignolet with his right foot before guiding a shot home with his left.

Tottenham were two up inside 12 minutes, this time Dejan Lovren inexplicably failing to cut out Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris’s long throw to allow Kane to advance and calmly square for Son to stroke home left-footed.

Liverpool’s defence parted again to allow Son in on goal soon afterwards but his ferocious effort struck the underside of the crossbar.

Tottenham’s defence dozed off in the 24th minute, allowing Salah to get between them and latch on to Jordan Henderson’s pass. With Lloris slow to narrow the angle, the Egyptian scuffed his shot in off the post.

The visitors then began to enjoy the lion’s share of possession but their defence continued to creak and Lovren was hauled off to be replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

In first half stoppage time, Spurs took advantage of more woeful defending. Christian Eriksen floated in a free kick which Joel Matip could only head straight to Alli who volleyed past Mignolet from inside the area.

In the 56th minute, Mignolet flapped at Trippier’s inswinging free kick, Jan Vertonghen’s shot was cleared off the line by Roberto Firmino but it fell to the lurking Kane who steadied himself before drilling into the corner.

There was no way back for Liverpool although Lloris did have to pull off an incredible one-handed save to push Philippe Coutinho’s powerful effort against the crossbar and later blocked a Salah shot with his legs. – Reuters