Arsenal end Liverpool’s record bid
Van Dijk accepts the blame for 2-1 defeat
LONDON: Virgil van Dijk held his hands up to an uncharacteristic error that cost Liverpool the chance to set a new Premier League record points tally as Arsenal came from behind to beat the champions 2-1.
Just a third league defeat of the season for Juergen Klopp’s men means the Reds cannot now match Manchester City’s record 100 points from two seasons ago.
Sadio Mane put Liverpool in front as the visitors dominated for the first 30 minutes at the empty Emirates.
But Van Dijk’s slack pass allowed Alexandre Lacazette to equalise before Alisson Becker also produced a rare mistake to allow Lacazette to tee up Reiss Nelson for the winner just before half-time.
“The goals we give them as a present,” said Van Dijk. “If you give the goals away like we did today, including myself, you get what you deserve.”
Liverpool have now dropped points in four of their seven games since the Premier League’s restart compared to just two prior to the shutdown.
But Van Dijk said there was no shortage of motivation after clinching a first league title in 30 years.
“It’s too easy to say that,” he added. “If you watch the game, until I made the mistake there was nothing wrong. I take the blame for it. I take it as a man and we move on.”
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s mind appeared to be already focused on tomorrow’s FA Cup semi-final against his former side Manchester City as he left top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the bench among five changes from defeat in the north London derby to Spurs.
But victory kept the Gunners’ chances of European football next season alive by moving up to ninth and within two points of seventh-placed Tottenham.
Liverpool, by contrast, were at full strength bar the absence of injured captain Jordan Henderson and it showed for the first half an hour as the visitors’ dominated.
Liverpool deservedly took the lead in the 20th minute with a slick move as
Andy Robertson provided his 10th assist in the Premier League this season with a low cross that was met on the stretch by Mane.
However, Klopp blamed a lack of concentration after going ahead for two rare slack moments that cost them the match.
“Twice [there was] massive lack of concentration,” said the German. “We did a lot of things well but you cannot win football games when you concede goals like these.”
Lacazette pounced on just Van Dijk’s second error leading to a goal in 88 Premier League games since his £75 million move from Southampton in January 2018 to score his third goal in four games.
Alisson then followed his centreback’s example by gifting away possession to Lacazette and the Frenchman’s cross was dispatched by Nelson for his first Premier League goal.
Meanwhile Manchester City pushed Bournemouth closer to relegation with a 2-1 victory.
Pep Guardiola left Aymeric Laporte, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez on the bench against Bournemouth to keep them fresh for Wembley, but City still had too much quality in the form of David Silva and Gabriel Jesus.
Silva curled a free-kick in off the underside of the crossbar after six minutes.
Jesus was ruthless in the 39th minute as he wriggled between two weak Bournemouth challenges before firing into the far corner to score for the third consecutive game.
City finally conceded for the first time in five home games since the restart when David Brooks turned home Callum Wilson’s cross two minutes from time.
“It was a really difficult game. We started well in the first 10 or 15 minutes of the second half but then we had a problem in our build-up,” Guardiola said.
Defeat leaves Bournemouth still three points adrift of safety from Watford and West Ham, who face each other today.
Wolves remain three points adrift of the Champions League places with just two games to play after a 1-1 draw at Burnley.
Tottenham won 3-1 at Newcastle to keep their chances of European football next season on track by moving up to seventh.