Liverpool continued their perfect start to the Premier League season with a dominant 3-1 win over Arsenal at Anfield. Despite the Reds’ clear superiority for the entire 90 minutes, they fell behind to a scruffy Lacazette goal after a crazy miscue from Robertson. It didn’t deter Jurgen’s boys, though, and Liverpool quickly found themselves in front before the end of the half. A late goal for Diogo Jota in his league debut for the club sealed the points in the second half to cap a superb performance. Â
In goal, Alisson had another excellent game following his penalty heroics against Chelsea. He was very unlucky with the goal as Alexandre Lacazette’s scuffed finish looped over the Brazilian as he dived to the area that Arenal’s Frenchman was actually aiming for. Our man between the sticks had the last laugh, though, denying Lacazette twice in 1v1 situations. Â
At the back, Joe Gomez returned alongside Trent, van Dijk and Robertson. It was a sensational defensive performance from all four with the only negative being our Scottish left back’s skewed clearance putting Lacazette through on goal. He made up for his error, however, scoring Liverpool’s second goal after a sublime pick-out from Trent on the other side. Alexander-Arnold was, as usual, excellent going forward, but it was his dealing of Aubameyang that was perhaps even more impressive. Arsenal’s talisman failed to have any real impact on the game whatsoever and Trent deserves great credit for that. Both centre-backs were colossal in their defensive work and artistic on the ball. Countless 60-yard balls out to the wide players with pinpoint accuracy completely nullifying any attempts from the Gunners to apply pressure when we had possession. Â
In midfield, a trio of Fabinho, Keita and Wijnaldum started the match and all three played their roles perfectly. Gini and Keita pressed like demons with the latter, especially in the first half, carrying the ball through midfield using his power and incredible close-control. Fabinho also had a brilliant game, defensively incredible and also excellent with the ball at his feet. The Brazilian is capable of doing it all and he showed that against Arsenal.Â
In attack, the usual front 3 started the match and were right at it from minute one. The midfield pressed extremely aggressively and the forward line was no different, never giving the Arsenal defence a moment’s peace to play out from the back. Liverpool’s first goal comes from a dogged run by Mo Salah, bullying Kieran Tierney before forcing Leno to parry a shot into the path of Mane who tapped home. Mane worked his socks off and was replaced on around 80 minutes by new boy Diogo Jota who instantly had an impact. The Portuguese attacker could have had a hattrick in truth, but he got his goal on 88 minutes with a brilliantly placed volley from the edge of the box that clipped the post before nestling in the goal. Â
As for Man of the Match, I’m going to go with Sadio Mane. He was absolutely possessed in this one. You couldn’t get the ball off him, he was robbing the Arsenal defenders of possession left and right, and he also got himself a goal. An incredible display from our Senegalese prince.  Â
Mane was Man of the Match, causing havoc every time he got the ball. Alisson was also superb and Fabinho proved what a superb player he is.