Arsenal Vs Liverpool: 5 things we learned

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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 29: Roberto Firmino of Liverpool celebrates with Xherdan Shaqiri after scoring his sides fifth goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Arsenal FC at Anfield on December 29, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /

1. The Brighton result is criminal

It doesn’t matter who you play, you get the same amount points for winning. Realistically speaking, Liverpool are not Arsenal’s direct rivals this season. The Gunners are not pursuing a title. And this was never really going to be a game that they could expect to win. This might be the toughest fixture of the whole season.

And so, losing here is not all that surprising. Alright, the manner of the defeat was utterly pathetic and deserving of vehement criticism. But the actual result was not really all that shocking. Liverpool were the strong favourites to win, and they won.

This, consequently, sheds a new light on the failure to beat Brighton and Hove Albion on Boxing Day. Arsenal are now seven points behind Tottenham Hotspur and two points behind Chelsea, with the Blues having the chance to extend that advantage on Sunday. Suddenly, those two points dropped at Brighton seem rather precious.

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Arsenal will not finish in the top four because of results like this one. They will finish in the top four by relentlessly beating the lesser teams. That is what they did not do against Brighton, and that is utterly criminal.

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

By Andrew Dowdeswell | Dec 29, 2018

1. The Brighton result is criminal