White hot Reds destroy Arsenal in 20 minutes of devastation

Arsenal’s players looked shell-shocked after experiencing an explosive opening which had the game won and Arsene Wenger’s team counting their blessings that four was all they had conceded in a ferocious 20 minute burst.

Liverpool were mesmerising against an Arsenal team returning to Anfield brimming with confidence having returned to the top and with only one loss at the ground in 7 years.

The mayhem started inside a minute after Per Mertesacker pulled back Suarez and Gerrard wickedly delivered free-kick left Skrtel to stab home from close range.  The impressive Jon Flanagan nearly added to the score, from a subtle Sturridge through pass saw his shot well saved by Szczesny.

Arsenal’s peace was short lived as Skrtel moving away from the goal met Gerrard’s corner showing great dexterity to head over Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to equal his best ever goal scoring season for the Reds.

Liverpool were now an irresistible force moving into overdrive with Arsenal powerless to resist wave after wave of Liverpool attacks and when Suarez sent Sturridge through Anfield was stunned in amazement to see his shot screw wide of the far post.

It seemed only a matter time before Suarez would get his name on the score sheet and it almost happened with a spectacular volley which smacked flush against the post with Kolo Toure prodding the rebound wide of a gaping net.

With Liverpool not possessing a midfielder destroyer, Rodgers employees a pressing game which involves pressuring opponents in all areas and it was this which instigated the next goal.  Jordan Henderson harried the disappointing Mesut Ozil, finding Suarez who in turn played an inch perfect cross for Sterling to score ahead of Sturridge.  It was no more than Liverpool deserved as they were playing football from a dimension which Arsenal were not familiar.

Coutinho and Sturridge repeated their double-act from the Everton game when the young Brazilian’s beautifully weighted pass sending Sturridge through to decisively clip in past the goalkeeper for a goal which had class written all over it and Wenger wishing that Flamini was not serving a three-match ban.

It was an unbelievable and stunning 20 minutes against the Premiership leaders.

Liverpool with the game all but won, settled down into a rhythm with less intensity which allowed Arsenal back in the game.

The only way in the second-half Arsenal were going to get into the game was for Liverpool to fall back into the bad habits of earlier in the season and drop intensity levels.

It was not be for Arsene Wenger’s men.

Ten minutes in and Toure found Sterling scampering through.  His shot was saved by Szczesny who was powerless to stop him from knocking home the rebound to make it 5-0.

All for one

Luis Suarez shaped as if to cross from a free-kick from 35 yards, but produced an exquisite curling shot which looked preordained for the top corner only for a scrabbling Szczesny to claw the ball out at the last.

Disappointingly, Arsenal scored from a penalty after Gerrard rashly brought down Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Sterling had the opportunity to close out the game with a hat-trick after leaving the pacey Gibbs for dead with a blistering run, only to fluff his lines at the last and seeing his shot squirm past the post.

It was a win which sent out a marker, but which Liverpool need to profit by at winning at Fulham on Wednesday.

Man of the Match:  Raheem Sterling – Another imperious performance from the Liverpool winger.  His game now offers so much more in a season where he has begun to find himself on the score sheet.  He has an uncanny knack of finding himself in the right position at the right time whether in support of Sturridge and Suarez or covering the full-backs, proof positive that he is coming out from under the shadows of his more celebrated colleagues.

Critical eye:  Liverpool squeezed Arsenal from the first minute to the last not allowing them to settle into their formidable passing game often pushing them back and out of their comfort zone.  The third goal was a great example with Ozil hassled and left in a heap from the pressure exerted by Jordan Henderson and Liverpool’s incisive play was rewarded with a goal which demoralised Arsenal.

With very little in terms of  a powerhouse midfielder every Liverpool player displayed a commitment to the cause with even Philippe Coutinho showing commitment and fierce determination to get the job done.

Good to see the manager taking the opportunity to rest his key players and giving some playing time to Aspas and Ibe.

Teams:

Liverpool: 22  Mignolet, 38 Flanagan, 20 Cissokho, 8 Gerrard (Ibe – 76 mins), 37 Skrtel, 4 Kolo Toure, 10 Coutinho, 14 Henderson, 7 Suarez (Iago Aspas- 86 – mins), 31 Sterling, 15 Sturridge (Allen – 66 mins)

Substitutes: 1 Jones, 6 Luis Alberto, 9 Iago Aspas, 12 Moses, 24 Allen, 33 Ibe, 34, Kelly

Arsenal: 1 Szczesney, 3 Sagna, 17 Monreal (Gibbs – 61 mins), 10 Wilshere, 4 Mertesacker, 6 Koscielny, 15 Oxlade-Chamberlain, 8 Arteta, 12 Giroud (Podolski – 60 min), 11 Ozil (Rosicky – 61 min), 19 Cazorla

Substitutes: 7 Rosicky, 9 Podolski, 21 Fabianski, 23 Bendtner, 25 Jenkinson, 28 Gibbs, 44 Gnabry

Referee: Michael Oliver

Attendance: 44,701