Welcome to the LFC Final Word. In this series, I provide an in-depth analysis of games from a Liverpool supporter's perspective.
Match Facts
Liverpool vs Arsenal
Anfield
Saturday 29th December, 17:30
Result
Liverpool 5 - 1 Arsenal
Betting Results
Over 3.5 goals: win
Match Summary
With a 7 point gap between Liverpool and Manchester City, I felt that this was a more important game for the Reds than the match between the two clubs next Thursday. A win for Jurgen Klopp's team against Arsenal would mean that Liverpool would go to the Etihad a minimum of 7 points clear of last season's champions. That would reduce pressure immensely because Liverpool would remain 4 points ahead of Manchester City even if they were to lose against them. Liverpool made a huge statement of intent by beating Arsenal and are now the favourites to lift the Premier League title this season.
I was over the moon when the team sheets were released as Jurgen Klopp's inclusion of Salah, Mane, Firmino, and Shaqiri showed that he wasn't intending to be conservative here. Instead, Liverpool were going out there with an intent to dominate Arsenal and, despite an early goal from the visitors, that's exactly what they did. I have mentioned in recent posts that Liverpool's strength this season has been the fact that they rarely trail in a game and that has allowed them to stick to their original gameplan. It was a slight worry for Liverpool supporters that they could react badly should they go behind in a game of this magnitude but the Reds put those doubts to the sword. As soon as Arsenal had scored, Liverpool looked reinvigorated and ready to show them what this team is really capable of. In truth, Liverpool probably should have scored more than 5 yesterday evening, but Jurgen Klopp will be delighted with the 3 points, no matter how they arrive.
There were several eye-catching performances within the Liverpool team, but I felt that Wijnaldum went out and showed that he's one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. Firmino also raised his game once again and will feel a great deal of confidence after his wonderful hat-trick, silencing some of the noise about his performance levels this season, just like Salah had done previously. A great deal of credit goes to the manager who has yet again seemingly picked the best starting 11 to defeat this particular opponent. Klopp was also wise to give Robertson a few minutes of rest towards the end of the game, and he'll be a much-needed team member next Thursday.
The Final Word
Other than conceding a single goal in this game, things couldn't have gone much better for Liverpool. They have managed to maintain a 7 point lead over Manchester City which is a huge boost to the Reds when the clubs face off against each other on Thursday. What this means is that pressure is reduced for Klopp's team as they know they can lose this game and still be 4 points clear with a great run of fixtures on the horizon. Another job well done for Liverpool.
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