Premier League leaders Liverpool roared back from going a goal down to batter Arsenal 5-1, stretching their advantage to nine points over second-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles slid in for the shock 11th-minute opener for the visitors. This was the 21-year-old’s first goal for the club in 48 games.
But this only sparked a brutal reaction from the Reds – and an embarrassing collapse from their opponents. The ball bobbled to hat-trick hero Roberto Firmino to slot in the quick-fire leveller, while a 90-second turnaround was completed when the same player skipped clear to place past goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
Sadio Mane converted from close range to make it 3-1 and Mohamed Salah slammed in an injury-time penalty. After the interval, Firmino also struck from the spot.
Here are the Arsenal talking points from Anfield.
Arsenal keep a clean sheet? No chance
Visitors are supposed to come bearing gifts during the festive season – and Arsenal’s comical defence provided five of them at Anfield.
Juventus don’t let good players leave for nothing. Veteran right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner – yet again – cleared into a team-mate for the first and lost Mohamed Salah for the third.
Elsewhere, the whole backline looked like they were playing on an ice rink for the second – just 90 seconds after the leveller – as hat-trick hero Roberto Firmino dropped four of them to the floor. Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Saed Kolasinac also clumsily gave away fouls for a pair of penalties.
Bringing Laurent Koscielny on at half-time exemplified the phrase: “to close the stable door after the horse has bolted.” Even when recent serious injury is accounted for, why didn’t the club’s best centre-back start against rampant hosts?
This shambolic showing bore the touch of Arsene Wenger’s final decade. For all successor Unai Emery’s startling early impact, a ruthless defensive clearout is required at the end of 2018/19.
Only Manchester United and promoted Fulham have kept fewer clean sheets than the Gunners. Emery’s porous side have, still, won only one match against the ‘Big Six’ this term.
These failings continue to separate a promising team from the Premier League’s elite.
We’re back underway on Merseyside - and we’ve made a sub…
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) December 29, 2018
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Ramsey’s time is up
Aaron Ramsey has been a fine servant for Arsenal.
The emphasis here being on the past tense.
Emery’s October decision to terminate talks about a contract renewal that would have extended the Wales midfielder’s stay into a 12th season gained validation in December.
Ramsey was tasked at Anfield with feeding lone striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the hole.
The Gabon striker went goalless and had just seven touches in the first half – four from the kick-off. Ramsey’s deflected shot was, staggeringly, blazed over by the front man before the hour mark, but the flag went up for offside.
From 52 touches, Ramsey made no key passes. Mesut Ozil was not likely to start even if fit, yet the ex-Germany playmaker still offers more artistry.
Ramsey did share top-tackling marks with four. This statistic, however, is nowhere near enough to justify a start.
Suitors, such as Paris Saint-Germain and Juve, be warned.
90 - There were exactly 90 seconds between Roberto Firmino's first and second goals for Liverpool against Arsenal. Quickfire. #LIVARS
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 29, 2018
