Arsenal midfielder Dani Ceballos has praised Liverpool for being a “well-drilled” side after witnessing their intensity in the Premier League last month.
The Reds secured a 3-1 win over the Gunners at Anfield on August 24, thanks to a Mohamed Salah brace and a Joel Matip goal, to maintain their 100% start to the new season.
Lucas Torreira scored a late consolation for Arsenal, but they were outplayed for large periods of the game and struggled to cope with Liverpool’s high-pressing tactics.
Real Madrid loanee Ceballos has admitted to being in awe of Liverpool after the defeat, claiming he “hasn’t seen a team that plays better”.
The Spaniard told The Guardian: “I’ve never seen anything like what I saw at Anfield; I haven’t seen a team that plays better, that presses like them, the way the fans carry them along.
“They take the air from you. You spend so much time defending and when you want to do something with the ball, when you want to breathe, they’re back on top of you. They’re very well-drilled.”
Arsenal failed to get back to winning ways at home to Tottenham in the north London derby a week later, grinding out a 2-2 draw after falling two goals behind in the first half.
Unai Emery’s men headed into the international break sitting fifth in the Premier League, with a trip to Watford up next this Sunday.
Liverpool meanwhile, have stretched their perfect record to four matches and look well placed to fight Manchester City for the title once again.
Ceballos insists that Arsenal are still a work in progress, but he is confident that Emery has the team heading in the right direction.
“We can’t compare it at the moment,” he added – as per The Guardian. “We’re working on some similar things but Jürgen Klopp arrived at Liverpool in 2015.
“Unai came last season. Arsenal finished a point short of the Champions League and a small step from winning the Europa League; his arrival will be positive.
“In a few years, Arsenal will be in the top 10 teams globally, competing for everything.”
