Ian Doyle with the talking points from Liverpool’s Premier League clash at Arsenal on Thursday evening
Liverpool players reacted furiously to Gabriel Martinelli shoving an injured Conor Bradley(Image: PA)
Arne Slot and Mikel Arteta both sought not to pour fuel on the flames of Gabriel Martinelli’s mindless reaction to Conor Bradley. The damage, though, had already been done.
Now Liverpool are left waiting to discover if the luckless right-back faces another extended spell on the sidelines after providing further evidence top opposition brings out his best.
There is simply no excuse, no mitigation for Martinelli first kicking the ball at the stricken Bradley and then pushing him off the pitch, potentially further exacerbating his knee injury.
OPINION
Ian Doyle
OPINION
Paul Gorst
Sure, the Arsenal substitute was frustrated. Most of the Emirates was as Liverpool comfortably coped with the home team’s underwhelming attacking intent.
But there’s a line and Martinelli crossed it. He was fortunate to not be sent off. Small wonder the furious response from the Reds players who, in retrospect, deserve credit for not showing their anger in more vehement fashion.
Bradley’s likely spell out leaves Jeremie Frimpong as the most likely replacement having again performed well here on the right wing, albeit lacking the final ball that has proven so profitable in recent weeks.
And if Bradley deserves better, Martinelli merits greater censure. The Football Association must now act.
Wirtz for where?
So continues the magical mystery tour for Florian Wirtz at Liverpool this season. Having previously appeared as the number 10, on the right and, more profitably, on the left, here the 22-year-old found himself as one of the two false nines alongside Dominik Szoboszlai.
At least that was the plan first half. But while defensively it allowed Liverpool plenty of cover in central areas, the system left the visitors too often missing a pressure-relieving outlet with Wirtz and Szoboszlai helping out the rearguard action.
While Wirtz did well to win possession on occasion, too much of his work before the break was in his own half, although Szoboszlai was the one Liverpool player to occasionally find space in behind the Arsenal midfield.
Wirtz, though, had a strong claim for a penalty turned down by both referee Anthony Taylor and VAR John Brooks moments into the second half when taken out by Leandro Trossard. File under you’ve seen them given.
Szoboszlai, meanwhile, wasn’t quite able to repeat his free-kick heroics in the Anfield fixture earlier in the season, although he wasn’t far away with one such effort second half.
The Hungarian’s tireless display underpinned his pre-game reminder that Arsenal aren’t the champions yet – but Liverpool still are.
Defence holds firm
That this was the first time in a Premier League game since March 2010 that Liverpool had failed to have a shot on target could easily be used as the latest stick with which critics could beat Arne Slot.
Statistics, though, can often be shaped to serve any argument. And the Reds boss could easily point to his team having now twice prevented Arsenal from scoring this season.
While partly down to Liverpool’s conservative tactical approach, it wouldn’t have been possible but for some resolute defensive performances.
Milos Kerkez had a tough opening half-hour up against the trick Bukayo Saka, but that the Arsenal winger was substituted long before the final whistle underlined it was a battle eventually won by the Reds left-back.
At centre-back, Ibrahima Konate continued his welcome improvement and Virgil van Dijk produced a number of key interventions, while goalkeeper Alisson Becker deserves credit for confident handling in tricky conditions.
And a general awareness of Arsenal’s set-piece threat meant the Gunners were restricted to just three corners, each of which prompted huge enthusiasm from the home crowd if little reward.
Next up for the Reds comes Barnsley in the FA Cup. Not managing a shot on target then would justify criticism.
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