Flamboyant Liverpool Smashed Arsenal, 5-1

Phenomenal Liverpool trashed their big rivals Arsenal today with 5-1. It was a great ending of 2018 for the Reds who will enter the New Year as the leaders in the Premier League standings.

Liverpool’s coach Jurgen Klopp said after the match that from his point of view, 2018 was a solid year, in which his club made a step forward.

“Not too bad. The boys have made a big step but it’s important to show it’s a positive process. In 2018 I have nothing to moan about.”

The Reds will have an early opportunity to put one hand on the Premiership trophy as they visit the biggest rivals Manchester City, already on the 3rd of January.

As for this game, the star of the day was Roberto Firmino, the Brazilian international who scored three goals today, destroying Arsenal’s back line as nobody did in a long time.

What was especially worth mentioning was his second goal of the game, when he easily outsmarted a couple of Arsenal’s defenders who were left lying on the grass behind him, while he calmly executed and ignited the whole Afield.

https://twitter.com/LFC_Vines/status/1079097623901032450

But the game opened in a totally different direction. Young Maitland-Niles brought the lead to Arsenal after 11 minutes of playing becoming only the third player this season who managed to beat Alisson in Liverpool.

At that point, Liverpool fans were looking shocked and couldn’t say a word while on the other side, Gunners supporters were making the noise.

But this lasted for only three minutes. The whole Liverpool offensive line was creating pressure on Arsenal’s defenders who made a monumental mistake, and handed the ball directly to Firminho who didn’t have anybody on his way towards the goal line.

Just minute and a half later, the same player scored, after above-mentioned miniature.

At that point, it was obvious that the home team is catching its usual rhythm.

“The response [to Arsenal’s goal] was world class. We stayed calm and really forced the mistakes. Bobby’s [Firmino] second when Sadio [Mane] won the ball. Wow. It was perfect defending.” Klopp said after the game, smiling as he always does when his team records a good result.

Two more goals came until the break, the first one through Mo Salah, and the second after Sadio Mane converted a penalty.

The catastrophe was on sight for the Gunners, who were utterly helpless on the pitch, without a single solution on how to stop a hurricane called Liverpool.

The same situation was in the second half, although Klopp and his boys wanted to decrease the pace of the game. The German coach is perfectly aware that his team has the match of the season in a few days at Etihad Stadium, and that every player needs to be kept fresh.

Still, the Reds managed to strike once more, and the scorer was Firmino again. Mike Oliver, the referee, of the match, gave another penalty to the hosts, which to be honest, wasn’t fully earned.

Sead Kolasinac, Arsenal’s defender and Dejan Lovren from Liverpool had a light contact in the box, after which Lovren fell on the ground. In our modest opinion, it didn’t have enough intensity to be called a foul.

For Firmino it was a perfect chance for another hat-trick in Liverpool’s jersey, which is why Mo Salah gave him the ball to shoot, even though the Egyptian player is in charge of taking the penalty kicks.

"…and then in a situation like that, you give it to your mate."

Jürgen Klopp said he was close to tears when Mohamed Salah gave Roberto Firmino the penalty so he could get his hat trick ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Ku0KinJkCa

— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) December 29, 2018

Of course, Firmino didn’t have any problems taking care of this one.

Liverpool now has 54 points, nine more than Tottenham who was stunned earlier today at home by the Wolves. The Spurs lost with 1-3, and gave the opportunity to Manchester City to pass them over in the standings if they defeat Southampton tomorrow.