Arsenal thrashed Liverpool 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium this weekend, putting the Gunners in charge in the race for a top four spot, and here are the six main talking points from this intriguing Premier League encounter…
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1) Ozil makes his mark
Mesut Ozil showed his fine recent run of form is not just a fluke as he finally managed to truly make his mark for Arsenal in a big game. The German international playmaker, a £42.5m signing from Real Madrid, showed why the Gunners paid so much money for him with a superb display against the Reds and a wonderful free-kick to make it 2-0 in the first half. If not for the injuries, one feels this could have been a really great season for Ozil, but it should mean good things to come next year.
2) Sterling doesn’t look worth it
As for Liverpool’s big-name player, Raheem Sterling certainly didn’t take his chance to silence the critics this weekend, putting in a poor display in such an important game at the Emirates Stadium. With some people alreasdy crazily comparing Sterling’s situation to Luis Suarez’s at Liverpool, this is a timely reminder that the 20-year-old is still nowhere near that level. If he doesn’t stay at Anfield, it won’t be a huge crisis, while other clubs should reconsider if he’s worth the hassle and the money he’d inevitably command.
3) Bellerin now first choice
It’s crazy to think how little Arsenal have missed an excellent player in Bacary Sagna, who left on a free to join Manchester City last summer. Not only that, but it’s not his replacement signing Mathieu Debuchy who’s been the reason behind that, with the Frenchman injured for so much of this campaign. In their place, Spanish youngster Hector Bellerin has been immense for the Gunners, and continued to show his brilliant potential yesterday with a fine solo goal to make it 1-0. The 20-year-old will surely now have made himself first choice even when Debuchy returns – what a gift for Arsenal as their habit of raiding Barcelona’s youth team pays off once again!
4) Lovren signing a farce
A £20m signing from Southampton in the summer, Dejan Lovren was only on the bench yesterday despite Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel missing through suspension. With Kolo Toure bizarrely preferred at centre-back, and midfielder Emre Can doing a surprisingly good job in that position for most of this season, how far as the Croatian international fallen to become fifth choice in that position after costing the club so much money? This transfer has proven a real embarrassment and may be one of the Reds’ worst of all time.
5) This would be a great FA Cup final
As ever, these two sides provided tremendous entertainment in yesterday’s game and would surely be the neutrals’ pick as the best possible FA Cup final this season. Following on from a thrilling 2-2 earlier in the season and Liverpool’s 5-1 last term, goals always seem guaranteed in this fixture and would be the perfect end to the season if they met at Wembley in May.
6) But Liverpool not guaranteed a place
Sadly for Liverpool, you wouldn’t necessarily back them to even make the FA Cup final at the moment. The team looks lost after successive Premier League defeats to Manchester United and Arsenal, and even Championship side Blackburn Rovers may be fancying an upset when they meet in their FA Cup quarter-final replay at Ewood Park. Liverpool imploded at the end of last season and may be about to do so again here after a similarly impressive run came to an end, which Brendan Rodgers will be desperately hoping does not become a hallmark of his sides.