Liverpool continued their perfect start to life in the new Premier League season, ending Arsenal’s in the process, as the defending champions came from behind to secure a 3-1 victory at Anfield on Monday Night Football.
Alexandre Lacazette was in the right place at the right time to profit from Andrew Robertson’s mistake and give Arsenal a surprise lead on 25 minutes, but Sadio Mane immediately restored parity before Robertson made amends for his error to give the Reds a deserved half-time lead.
Lacazette will rue missing a glorious chance to draw an improved Arsenal level midway through the second half as new summer signing Diogo Jota’s first goal for the club sealed a third straight win of the season for Jurgen Klopp’s side on the 88th minute of the match.
The win lifts Liverpool above Merseyside rivals Everton on goal difference into second on the Premier League table, while Arsenal remain fifth after tasting defeat for the first time.
Watch the match highlights below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwM6YwMvaAQ
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Jurgen Klopp in a post-match interview says: “We had so many big moments but I know we can’t finish off every chance, but we played a super game and were 1-0 down. It would’ve been incredible had we lost but we won, and it’s completely deserved.
“Could we have scored more goals? Yes. Could they have scored? Yes, because of the quality that they have. We played a constant high line. We stuck to the match plan and if you are that high, of course there is a risk.
“We like to try to win the ball back as high as possible, so I wasn’t frustrated or disappointed. I was in the game, and it could’ve gone either way.
“We had to be brave ourselves to cause them problems – that’s what we tried and sometimes it worked. We didn’t stop, and my worry was at half-time that we couldn’t keep it going but we did and that’s a really good sign.”
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta also says: “It’s a tough place to come for anybody in the world. They set incredible standards, they dominate every aspect of the game.
“Taking the lead put us in a really strong position to believe more that we could get something out of the game. We conceded too early, in a mistake.
“In the second half we corrected a few things, we were much better. We had some problems still with the ball and we had the best chance in the game and when it comes to Anfield you’re not going to get 10 chances.
“When you get through one against one against the keeper, you have to score if you want to get something out of the game.”
Stats and facts from the match (Backed by Opta)
- Liverpool have won their last five home league games against Arsenal, their longest such run against them since a run of seven between 1981-1988.
- Since Mikel Arteta’s first game in charge in December 2019, Arsenal have dropped more points from winning positions than any other side in the Premier League (18).
- There have been 166 goals scored in Premier League meetings between Arsenal and Liverpool, at least seven more than any other fixture in the competition.
- Diogo Jota became the 13th player to score on his Premier League debut for Liverpool, and the first to do so in a match against Arsenal since Sadio Mané in August 2016.
- Andrew Robertson has scored (2) or assisted (5) a goal in seven of his last eight Premier League games for Liverpool, failing only against Chelsea in this run.
- Sadio Mané has scored in four of his five home league games against Arsenal for Liverpool, with his equaliser today coming just 147 seconds after the Gunners had taken the lead.
- Alexandre Lacazette has scored six goals in his last nine Premier League games, while he became the first player to score in each of Arsenal’s first three league games in a season since Olivier Giroud in 2013-14.
Fulham 0-3 Aston Villa: Miserable Fulham defending gifts Villa first win away since January 1
Aston Villa breeze past Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage on Monday Night Football to secure its first away win in the Premier League since New Year’s Day, .
Fulham woeful defending cost them as Villa swiftly raced into a 2-0 lead within 15 minutes, first netting through Jack Grealish at an angle from John McGinn’s fine through ball in the 4th minute, before Conor Hourihane slotted low from 12 yards from another McGinn assist on 15 minutes.
Villa got a third just three minutes after the break as Tyrone Mings broke Fulham’s offside trap from a Hourihane free-kick, poking home low, unmarked, while Fulham had a Bobby Reid goal disallowed by VAR after a foul by Aleksandar Mitrovic in the build-up.
Watch the match highlights below
Fulham have now lost 3-in-3 Premier League games this season and have conceded 10 goals in the process.
Villa, on the other hand, can celebrate the win, a clean sheet, and the fact that they have won away in the Premier League for the first time since New Year’s Day, upholding their 100 percent record this season.
Stats and facts from the match (Backed by Opta)
- Aston Villa registered a clean sheet for the first time in their last 27 away Premier League games, since a 0-0 with West Brom in January 2016.
- Fulham have conceded 10 goals this season; only once has a team shipped more in their first three matches of a Premier League campaign (West Brom with 11 this season).
- Aston Villa have opened a Premier League campaign with back-to-back victories for just the third time, also doing so in 1995-96 and 1999-00.
- Aston Villa found themselves two ahead within 15 minutes in the Premier League for the first time since May 2011, when they led Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates.
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