Liverpool reminded everybody why they’re Premier League champions at Arsenal on Saturday night.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Jurgen Klopp’s men were unshackled by the fact that Manchester City’s win at Leicester City meant they could no longer mathematically retain their league crown.
But amongst all the defeats at Anfield, the Reds seem to have held things together on the road and it didn’t take the Merseysiders long to show that they were the superior side to Arsenal.
Besides, Liverpool made the trip to Emirates Stadium on the back of woeful form that had seen real questions raised about their chances of qualifying for the Champions League.
After all, when it comes to Arsenal somehow managing to reach half-time with the scores at 0-0, your guess is as good as ours.
And while Mikel Arteta clearly gave the hosts a kick up the backside at the break, it didn’t take Liverpool long to reassert their authority on the game and it was about time that the goals followed.
Alexander-Arnold’s amazing assist
In the end, it was one of Jurgen Klopp’s substitutes that provided the finishing touch with Diogo Jota emerging from the bench to fire a bullet header past the reach of Bernd Leno.
It was a deadly finish, there’s no doubt about it, but the goal never would have been possible without the crossing genius of Trent Alexander-Arnold who provided the cross.
It was the sort of dizzying delivery that saw Alexander-Arnold amass 13 Premier League assists last season and reminded everybody why he’s considered one of the world’s best right-backs.
Besides, while the Liverpool academy product might have struggled over the course of the 2020/21 campaign, it’s moments like those that should make Gareth Southgate and England take notice.
After all, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Alexander-Arnold’s passionate reaction to the goal was him revelling in proving the haters wrong after being left out of the latest England squad.
And the 22-year-old will have been additionally pleased that his gorgeous assist set the wheels in motion for Liverpool to secure an impressive win with Mohamed Salah doubling the advantage.
A mazy solo run on the right flank that culminated with Salah slipping the ball between Leno’s leg saw him mark his 150th Premier League appearance with his 93rd(!!!) goal in the competition.
But Liverpool weren’t finished there with more hard work on the right-hand side allowing the Reds to make things three with Jota taking the shot off Sadio Mane’s toe to find the net.
In fact, it felt rather apt that it was Alexander-Arnold’s pressing that teed up the third.
And with Arsenal’s sorry night culminating in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang trotting back to the substitutes bench, there were real questions raised about Mikel Arteta’s suitability at Arsenal.
However, although the Gunners undoubtedly paved the way for Liverpool to secure the three points, it seems fitting to instead give due praise to the Reds on the night they conceded their title.
Let it remind us all that just because they haven’t been at the races this season, it doesn’t mean that their squad is anything less than world-class – and Alexander-Arnold proves that point perfectly.
