3 positives & negatives from Arsenal’s 3-2 victory over Liverpool

The scenes at the final whistle painted the entire picture. This was the most significant victory of Mikel Arteta’s tenure thus far.

For so long, Arsenal have suffered from Kloppophobia. Just once had the north Londoners beaten a Jurgen Klopp-led Liverpool side in the Premier League since the German’s arrival on Merseyside seven years ago. Batterings, humiliation, and embarrassment have been the norm in this fixture since 2015, but Mikel’s exciting young Gunners shifted the paradigm on Sunday evening.

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Twice they were pegged back by a leggy but dangerous Liverpool side, but Arsenal’s second-half superiority was distinct and Bukayo Saka’s winner from the spot had become a matter of inevitability given the dynamic of the bout.

Arsenal’s 3-2 victory was followed up with talk of a potential title charge, but Sunday’s triumph was important for myriad reasons that reach far beyond the possibility of joining Manchester City in a fight for the Premier League crown.

3 positives & negatives from Arsenal’s 3-2 victory over Liverpool

While Sunday’s victory over Liverpool threw up plenty of positives, there are some negatives to discuss as well. Here are three of each.

Positive #1: Second-half domination

Arsenal’s ability to start games fast has been key to their early success this season.

However, their bright opening to the second period in the North London derby set the stage for an emphatic win, and their second-half performance on Sunday was nothing short of superb.

Roberto Firmino did equalise against the run of play seven minutes after the restart, but that was Liverpool’s only notable attacking sequence in a half otherwise dominated by the determined hosts.

Arsenal kept coming at the fading Reds, who appeared a shell of their once relentless selves. The midfielders took control of the duel in the middle of the park, and the Gunners retained their aggression all over the pitch throughout.

Liverpool were overwhelmed by their intensity at times and Klopp’s side could only muster an xG of 0.17 in the second half as a result. Arsenal’s xG during that period, meanwhile, was 2.29 (1.53 excluding Saka’s penalty). 

The Gunners’ superiority was eventually rewarded, and while there was some controversy regarding two key decisions that didn’t go Liverpool’s way, Arsenal were more than good value for all three points.

Negative #1: Concerns over Gabriel’s form

While Arsenal took control of the bout in the second half, Liverpool were a threat throughout and they had plenty of joy getting in behind the Gunners’ high defensive line in the opening period.

The dynamic Luis Diaz and persistent Darwin Nunez made life tough for the Arsenal defence, with Gabriel, on occasions, succumbing to the pressure. The Brazilian defender, who gave away a penalty in the North London derby, doesn’t look entirely comfortable in a high line, and Liverpool exploited his vulnerability on Sunday.

Nunez had success running off Gabriel, but it was Diaz who latched onto Trent Alexander-Arnold’s sliced pass in behind thanks to a poor clearance from the Arsenal man before teeing up Nunez for Liverpool’s first-half equaliser. It was a poor piece of defending from Gabriel, who has now made several errors leading to goals this season (Fulham, United’s first, Tottenham).

It’s tough to find a weakness in this Arsenal side, but Gabriel may be slowly proving himself to be a potential liability.

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