Champions League: Arsenal soar, Liverpool sink

calcutta: A nighttime that had Liverpool train Arne expansion slot in outrage showed Arsenal as mentality monsters. Bayern Munich had come to London unbeaten in 21 matches and with Harry Kane in red hot form with 26 goals. It proved to be chastening experience for the German champions who lost 1-3. Arsenal are now the only team with an all-win record after five rounds in the Champions League. They are also in pole position in the Premier League, six points clear of competition.

The best of times for Arsenal – manager Mikel Arteta said the performance against Bayern was “immense” – is also the worst of times for Liverpool. The Premier League champions lost 1-4 to PSV, the first English team since 2008 to lose to the Dutch club at home. This was Liverpool’s ninth defeat in 12 games in all competition and the first time since January 1954 that they have lost three straight matches by three goals.

Arsenal have been brilliant; Liverpool, once referred to as mentality monsters by Juergen Klopp, brittle. “This is a shock,” said Slot. Skipper Virgil van Dijk said the situation was “very, very difficult.”

Liverpool spent £450m in the summer, Arsenal £255m. Player recruitment is far from an exact science but those that joined Arsenal have served the club better. PSV was another game Alexander Isak, a record £125m British transfer, had failed to influence. Injured on international duty, Florian Wirtz has not been the right fit as No, 10 – it has left Liverpool too exposed when out of possession – nor has he regularly impacted matches as wide right or left. Hugo Ekitike continues to have settling-down issues and picked up an injury against PSV.

This lack of integration of forwards has harmed Liverpool’s press; Jeremie Frimpong’s injury making things worse as it has meant Dominik Szoboszlai, who equalised against PSV, has to drop down to right-back. The Hungary captain would lead Liverpool’s press.

Compare this with Arsenal among whose seven summer signings were Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, who scored against Bayern, Piero Hincapie (solid shift against Spurs as centre-back) and Cristhian Mosquera who had put a lid on Kane. Like Liverpool, Arsenal have injury worries. At different times, skipper Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, the three Gabriels (Jesus, Martinelli and Magalhaes) and Gyokeres have been unavailable. Leandro Trossard was injured against Bayern.

And yet, unlike Arenal of the past, there has been no dip in performance. Madueke and Martinelli came off the bench to score on Wednesday. Gabriel has been Arsenal’s go-to player at set-pieces but Jurrien Timber has stepped up in his absence. Timber’s partnership with Bukayo Saka is different from that of Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold but is becoming just as threatening.

When Odegaard was injured, Declan Rice and Saka took over his role. At 21, Rice had the most carries on Wednesday and the most progressive carries (4). In Gyokeres’s absence, Mikel Merino continues to be efficient as false nine.

“I look at the players, they are coming in and they can change the game,” said Arteta, the Arsenal manager. “We have certainly improved that, not only with the quality but also the mindset of players coming in. And that’s something that has made a huge difference for us.”

The goal from Lennart Karl, Bayern’s 17-year-old wunderkind, was the first Arsenal conceded in Europe this term. Barring Richarlison’s spectacular dink, Tottenham Hotspur did not really look like scoring and Arsenal have kept clean sheets in eight of their last 11 games. Liverpool have conceded first in 10 of their last 12 matches. Liverpool won 23 points from losing positions last term in Premier League, the most by any team. They have none this season.

Liverpool’s record at defending set-pieces is one of the worst in the Premier League. It was because of that Harry Maguire could redeem himself and, on Wednesday, PSV forged ahead through Ivan Perisic’s penalty after Van Dijk’s handball. Arsenal are one of the best in attacking set-pieces as Timber showed against Bayern. Myles Lewis-Skelly’s difficult night was covered by Arsenal as a team, Ibrahima Konate’s wretched run of form (check out PSV’s Couhaib Driouech’s 73rd minute goal) could not be because many players have lost form.

“This used to be a place where you hated to come…How we pressed, we were absolute dogs and then we have the ball and play,” said Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones. “Now, we hardly even play. There’s times when we do play but off-the-ball stuff, that’s the stuff that has to change.”

Arteta is right that this is just the beginning. No league, or Champions League, is won in November. Liverpool will hope neither is lost by then either.

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