Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool
Report by Layth Yousif
at Ashburton Grove

JURGEN KLOPP’S Liverpool eclipsed Arsenal 2-0 to move within one point of Premier League leaders Manchester City on Wednesday evening. 

In front of a raucous crowd of 59,968 in north London the Reds emerged victorious despite the Gunners showing excellent intensity for the opening hour of the match.

On a rain-lashed evening, Mikel Arteta’s side, who had won their previous five Premier League games, gave accomplished Liverpool a tough examination.

However, the visitors from Merseyside proved too good as Diogo Jota’s goal on 54 minutes, followed by Roberto Firmino’s near post effort eight minutes later, clinched victory for Klopp’s title-chasing Reds.

Speaking after the match, a delighted Klopp reflected on his side that have now notched nine wins on the bounce to reduce the deficit between leaders Manchester City from 13 points to a single point.

“Coming here and winning against Arsenal is already special,” Klopp explained, adding: “but winning the game like it was — more special. We started really well then it became an open game. We wanted to improve in the second half. 

“I’m very excited about the team and the situation we are in but that does not change everything. We just need to keep going. 

“We really want to enjoy the situation we are in by winning football matches,” he underlined, as Liverpool emerged impressive winners after their tough examination. 

Up to the first goal Arsenal showed that they are an emerging force to be reckoned with.

But their hopes were again scuppered by Jota — the curse of Arteta’s side when they lost 2-0 at home in the second leg of the League Cup semi-final in January – even if Aaron Ramsdale should have done better to save the former Porto attacker’s near post effort.  

It proved to be Klopp’s night when he made the bold decision to hook the lively Jota only 120 seconds later, in favour of Firmino. The German boss saw his move vindicated on 62 minutes when the Brazilian displayed flair to slide a near-post flick past Ramsdale to seal the game at 2-0.

Arsenal remain in fourth, a point ahead of Manchester United but with two games in hand. But with the Gunners facing a tough trip to Aston Villa on Saturday lunchtime, Arteta underlined the confidence he has in his squad by saying: “I have never seen an atmosphere like this.”

“I want to win every football match,” said Arteta afterwards, adding: “but I am very proud of the boys and the performance – and the connection we have seen with the fans, who got behind the team all the way through.”