THE REAL LIVERPOOL STAND UP
Reds warm up for Madrid tie with signs that slump could be history
THERE was Trent Alexander-Arnold showing hell hath no fury like an England full-back scorned. Fabinho playing in his rightful position. Diogo Jota with another impactful introduction from the bench.
Just maybe that top-four finish is a possibility, after all.
Naturally the focus was on Alexander-Arnold. After two weeks of everyone else having their say on his omission from Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad, it was his turn to respond. And he did, with gusto. Bruce Banner came to mind in the midst of this response. ‘Don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.’ Arsenal definitely didn’t.
There was an extra zest to Alexander-Arnold’s game. Arsenal became a personal punching bag in a performance that was more hulk than sulk and, most importantly for Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool won.
You only hope Alexander-Arnold and his team-mates can carry this same indignation into tomorrow night. Real Madrid await in the Champions League. Take it out on them, too.
Klopp was careful not to dig out Southgate afterwards, knowing the performance said enough to the England manager, though he may as well have said: ‘Thanks for the motivation, Gareth.’
What Klopp actually said was: ‘Trent showed his class.’ Concise and correct.
On the day they lost their title – Manchester City’s win meant Klopp’s side are no longer able to catch them – this was like watching Liverpool of old.
And there was something familiarly disappointing about Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, too.
The three most expensive players in Arsenal’s history started together for the first time since last season’s FA Cup final. Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe cost a combined £174.5million, each of them a club record signing. And yet, the lesson we learned was how reliant they have become on their academy graduates in Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka.
Without Smith Rowe picking up pockets of space on the left and Saka’s ingenuity on the right, it was all Liverpool. Granit Xhaka was missed in midfield, too, and Kieran Tierney limped off. David Luiz has had surgery on his right knee and may not be back this season.
Fabinho was a big reason why Arsenal could not escape their half and Jota breaking the deadlock was the least Liverpool deserved after a dominant first hour.
For that first goal, Alexander Arnold picked up possession on the right wing. Aubameyang’s flimsy attempt at closing down gave the Liverpool rightback time to cross. He placed the ball perfectly in between two Arsenal defenders and on to Jota’s head. Alexander-Arnold was involved in the build-up to the second, scored by Mohamed Salah, and was then vital in the third by winning possession prior to Jota’s second of the game.