Arsenal Vs Liverpool: 5 things we learned – Sell them all

3. Wingers the rare bright spark

This was a depressing match. I said before the match that I would be watching it from behind the sofa. I wish that I didn’t even have it on at all. But if there is a positive to be drawn, then it is the two performances of the two young wingers: Alex Iwobi on the left and Ainsley Maitland-Niles on the right.

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The two combined for the opening goal of the match: Iwobi played a one-two to slide past Trent Alexander-Arnold and whipped a lovely cross in between the Liverpool defence and stranded Allison Becker. Maitland-Niles, gambling on the delivery, slipped in behind Andy Robertson, avoided the attention of Virgil van Dijk, who was oddly unaware of the danger, and converted the finish at the back post.

This was not the only moment that either produced. Iwobi collected a loose pass from Fabinho and a struck a good shot at goal; Maitland-Niles span in behind Robertson on a number of occasions, only for his delivery to lack the accuracy and whip of the one he himself finished.

It is difficult to be positive about this game, result and performance. But if there is one element that is worthy of praise, it is the play of both Iwobi and Maitland-Niles. Oh, and they are academy graduates, just 22 and 21 years of age.