Arsenal vs. Liverpool: Winners and Losers from Premier League
Arsenal produced a clinical performance to comfortably beat Liverpool 4-1 in the Premier League in Saturday's early game.
Goals from Hector Bellerin, Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud gave Arsene Wenger's side the three points, moving them up to second in the league, four points behind Chelsea.
Jordan Henderson scored a consolation penalty for Brendan Rodgers' side, who also had Emre Can dismissed for a second yellow card late on to compound their misery.
The result left the Merseysiders five points outside the top four, and having played a game more than fourth-placed Manchester United, the Reds' Champions League aspirations are now in tatters.
Here are the winners and losers from the game at the Emirates Stadium.
Winner: Arsene Wenger
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Arsene Wenger had a full-strength squad available for the match, bursting with in-form players, and he made the right selections.
The home side pressed and pressured Liverpool in the early stages, unsettling their defence in the process and creating some good chances. Tactically, Wenger got it spot on.
The Frenchman has managed to turn things around since defeat at home to Monaco in the Champions League, and there's even now an outside chance that the Gunners may even push Chelsea for the Premier League title.
Jose Mourinho's side are currently four points ahead and have two games in hand, but they have to travel to the Emirates and have looked tired of late.
Regardless of slim title hopes, though, Wenger has almost certainly led Arsenal to Champions League qualification for the 18th year in a row.
After the game, Wenger told reporters (via Jonny Singer of the Daily Mail):
Loser: Kolo Toure
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Liverpool were without their defensive lynchpin, Martin Skrtel, who was retrospectively banned for an alleged stamp on Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea.
Without the Slovakian, former Arsenal man Kolo Toure came into the side in the centre of the Reds' back three, but it was a miserable return to the side for the Ivorian.
He was shaky in the opening exchanges, giving the ball away cheaply and forcing Simon Mignolet to save him before making a clearance himself.
He didn't improve, and his performance was one of Liverpool's poorest—the worst of a bad lot.
Winner: Mesut Ozil
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Mesut Ozil curled a superb free-kick to put Arsenal two goals ahead shortly before half-time.
The German midfielder had a tricky start to the 2014/15 season, but much like Arsenal themselves, he has grown of late. The crowd applauded him off when he was withdrawn in the second half.
Jeremy Wilson of The Telegraph wrote of Ozil:
"To accuse someone who was one of Germany’s best performers in the World Cup final of not being a big game player might seem strange but that is the charge often levelled at Mesut Ozil.
The truth is actually that he is not generally an eye-catching player. You do not seem him charging around the pitch and flying into tackles, you do not seem him attempting extravagant 40-yard passes but, watch carefully, and what you do see is someone who only very rarely loses possession and who is invariably involved in Arsenal’s best football.
This was an occasion, however, where Ozil not only added his usual fluidity to the Arsenal team but also the finishing touch with a wonderful first-half free-kick into the top corner of Simon Mignolet’s goal.
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Loser: Liverpool's Top-4 Hopes
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A fortnight ago, Liverpool were looking like favourites to come from behind and claim a place in the top four.
Now, after two defeats in a row to two rivals for the top four, their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League for a second successive season look slim.
Brendan Rodgers' side were undone by Manchester United on March 22, and Arsenal dispatched them with similar ease Saturday.
Indeed, Liverpool's whole season could be over come Wednesday night should they fail to beat Blackburn Rovers in their FA Cup quarter-final replay.
Winner: Simon Mignolet
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Arsenal featured plenty of impressive performers, but Liverpool's best player was goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
The Belgian stopper pulled off two huge saves in the opening 10 minutes to keep the visitors in the game. He then denied Giroud with a superb stop in the second half.
While his defence offered little protection in front of him, Mignolet performed admirably.
Some may blame him for Alexis Sanchez's goal, but that's far too simplistic. The shot may have been near the 'keeper, but it was hit with such venom that it flew past him.
Loser: Alberto Moreno
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It was another bad day at the office for Liverpool's Spanish left-back, Alberto Moreno.
At fault for both goals conceded against Man United last time out, he was also disappointing for Hector Bellerin's opening goal Saturday. He bizarrely showed the right-back inside and toward goal rather than pushing him out wide.
