Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool: Match Statistics
From chewed nails and frayed nerves to beaming smiles and pumping chests, and all in the space of a dozen minutes.
Liverpool’s relentless march goes on. The Premier League title race is now firmly in their hands after they did what Manchester City failed to do earlier this week – win a tight, tense game in London.
This 2-0 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates moves the Reds to within a single point of the league leaders, and all roads now lead to the Etihad Stadium next month.
It could be the showdown to end all showdowns.
It is nights like this, weeks like this, which can shift the momentum decisively.
After City stuttered at Crystal Palace on Monday night, Jurgen Klopp’s side knew they had to take full advantage, and they did.
They’ve won their last nine league games now, eating up a deficit that stood at 14 points (albeit with games in hand) just seven weeks ago.
It was a game which turned sharply in a 12-minute spell after half-time.
Liverpool had looked lethargic throughout the opening 45 minutes, and when Thiago Alcantara left a backpass short just five minutes after break, it looked like they were about to pay the price for their sloppiness.
But when you have the best goalkeeper around, you always have a chance, and Alisson Becker, as he so often does, bailed his team out when they needed him.
He stood big to close down the angle on Alexandre Lacazette and then, when the ball was fed to Martin Odegaard, spread himself superbly to turn the Norwegian’s effort over the bar.
The visitors, suddenly, could breathe again.
At that point, the wayward backpass had been Thiago’s biggest contribution to proceedings, but he would make a proper one within a few minutes, sliding a perfect ball through for Diogo Jota, whose powerful strike caught Aaron Ramsdale out at his near post.
The goalkeeper should have done much better, but Jota won’t care; he has eight goals in six Liverpool appearances against the Gunners, and five in his last three at the Emirates.
Getty/GOALThe Portuguese international was substituted immediately after his goal, as was Luis Diaz, Klopp showing off the depth of his squad by bringing on Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, who had shaken off an ankle injury to feature.
Their impact was immediate, Firmino’s pressing creating a chance for Salah which was scrambled off the line.
Unperturbed, Andy Robertson kept the ball alive against Bukayo Saka on the Liverpool left before crossing low for Firmino, who steered the ball under Ramsdale at the near post.
The celebrations were big, Firmino jumping into the jubilant away supporters. A yellow card never felt better.
He knew how big a goal it was; Liverpool know how big a win this was.
They saw it out with ease, the Emirates half empty by the time the final whistle came.
Arsenal may have been in good form coming into this, and they gave it a go here for the most part, but there’s a difference between top four and top class, and Liverpool are the latter.
And if they carry on like this, they’ll have the trophies to show for it come May.
