Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Arsenal on Monday Night Football made it nine points from nine to start their Premier League title defence. The early evidence suggests Jurgen Klopp’s side will take some stopping this season…
Liverpool’s chaotic 4-3 win over Leeds on the opening day of the season offered some encouragement to their Premier League rivals. Mohamed Salah looked more lethal than ever, but the solidity that underpinned their title charge was absent. Was it a sign of slipping standards?
It was certainly a tantalising thought for the sides seeking to close the gap to the top of the table in the new campaign, but fast forward two games and their hopes of a Liverpool drop-off look fanciful at best. Two of those sides, first Chelsea and now Arsenal, have found that out for themselves.
On Monday Night Football, Jurgen Klopp’s side followed up last weekend’s 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge with a similarly impressive show of force at Anfield. Mikel Arteta’s side had beaten them twice in the previous four months. A third consecutive upset, however, never looked likely.
That is not to say there were not awkward moments for them.
Arsenal’s lead, following Alexandre Lacazette’s freakish opening goal, lasted only 147 seconds and it was a minor miracle that they were still in the game at all when Diogo Jota struck Liverpool’s third in the closing stages.
By the end, Jurgen Klopp’s men had attempted 21 shots to Arsenal’s four and the numbers were similar against both Leeds and Chelsea. As well as taking maximum points from their first three games, Liverpool have attempted the most shots in the Premier League and faced the fewest.