There’s just something about Liverpool, red cards and losing Premier League games in North London this season, isn’t there?
But unlike the VAR-induced farce that was the loss at Tottenham Hotspur way back in late September, Jurgen Klopp could have few complaints as Arsenal triumphed to reinvigorate their own title aspirations and open the door for Manchester City in the process.
Having found themselves top without ever really getting out of second gear shortly before New Year, the arrival of January had seen Klopp’s side turn on the style with 12 goals across three victories against Newcastle United, Bournemouth and Chelsea.
But while this presented a real opportunity to go eight clear of the pack and deal Mikel Arteta’s side a potentially fatal blow for their own season’s hopes, the league leaders floundered under the early evening lights of the Emirates.
As their team toiled, 3-1 down with seconds left of the seven stoppage-time minutes, a familiar theme for Liverpool, fans was ringing around the Emirates. But while the thousands in their seats were crooning to to the tune of ‘Allez Allez Allez’, there was to be no mention of conquering Europe or any nods to Bob Paisley or Bill Shankly.
Instead, it was the triumphant Arsenal followers who were toasting a huge victory as their manager Arteta ran down the touchline, tagging the fans with the sort of theatrical flourish usually reserved for a self-help guru preaching to his flock.
It’s an anthem that has dominated Anfield and Liverpool away ends for years but it will have sounded like nails on a chalkboard as the Gunners adopted it to sing about their own manager.
If Arteta’s celebrations didn’t reveal all about just how much this win meant to the hosts, the sight of Lee Dixon whipping up those who had remained in their seats while the pitch-side NBC Sports coverage he was part of took an advertisement break certainly did.
Even more so was the sudden emergence of a crowing Piers Morgan in the post-match mixed zone. Arsenal’s preeminent celebrity cheerleader made sure his back-slapping and photos with Bukayo Saka were seen and heard by everyone within the vicinity. Even mascot Gunnersaurus felt compelled to get involved. Everyone connected to Arsenal knew this was big, it seemed.
It was a game that Liverpool deserved little from but their resilience and mental strength appeared to be steering them in the right direction at least after Saka’s early effort had been cancelled out by a comical own goal from Gabriel.
However, the Reds conspired to cough up an embarrassing concession of their own that proved to be the vital moment. There was little danger when the scampering pest that is Gabriel Martinelli chased down a long punt up the field.
Between Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk, all appeared to be in order, but a breakdown in communication between the pair ended with the goalkeeper wafting an apologetic leg near the ball and he failed to clear his lines. Martinelli profited and the visitors never really looked like getting back into it.
The decision from Anthony Taylor to send off Ibrahima Konate in the closing stages for two of the softest bookings you’ll see all season all but ended Liverpool’s hopes of a late response. Leandro Trossard sealed it late on with a goal that Alisson will also feel he could have done better with.
