5 talking points from Arsenal’s 3-1 victory against Liverpool include errors, a risky choice, and viewpoint

Liverpool’s hopes of winning the Premier League title were dashed as they lost to Arsenal 3-1, with uncharacteristic errors turning the tide.

Arsenal 3-1 Liverpool

Goals: Saka 14′, Martinelli 67′, Trossard 90+1′; Gabriel OG 45+1′

Defeat dismal but not decisive

Undoubtedly, Arsenal could have lost this game and fallen eight points short of the top spot if either team had more depending on the line.

And that’s something Liverpool needs to keep in mind as they recover from just their second Premier League setback of the year.

Even though they lost the opportunity to completely eliminate the Gunners from the race, the Reds are still in the lead going into the final stretch of the campaign, two points clear of their rivals.

How they respond to this loss will be crucial to maximising their position; they need to go on an undefeated streak in order to win big in May.

Uncommon mistakes weaken Reds

Even though he may detest losing, you can bet that Jurgen Klopp won’t demand an investigation into how Liverpool lost this match.

Even though Arsenal got off to a fast start, the Reds did not appear to be being consistently dismantled in order to earn zero points in this match.

And when the stakes are so high for a fellow championship candidate, it is only right to admit that sometimes these kinds of performances are the best you can hope for from a trying journey.

In the end, you cannot undo the pivotal moment that resulted from an unusual mix-up involving Virgil van Dijk and Alisson, nor is it likely to occur again.

Therefore, it would be better for Klopp’s team to just brush this off as a bad day at work and make sure they swiftly resume their winning ways.

Konate does not need to be stupid in the end.

Ibrahima Konate’s decision-making over his late red card will undoubtedly have been the manager’s pet peeve throughout this match.

In that instance, Liverpool had cover and, even without it, they weren’t holding out for a lead that would have given them a commanding lead in the championship fight.

Because of this, the foul that resulted in the Frenchman receiving a second yellow card and a one-match suspension seems silly.

Konate will now have time to reflect on that insane moment while watching the next match against Burnley from the stands.

Gamble on Gakpo doesn’t pay off

When Klopp stated in a pre-game interview that he chose Cody Gakpo over Darwin Nunez as a tactical choice, it raised eyebrows.

Additionally, the manager will undoubtedly believe that this was a poor move after the Dutchman’s 58 minutes on the pitch, during which he failed to make an impression.

In almost an hour, Gakpo made just two defensive plays, made just one shot, and completed six of the eleven passes that were attempted.

It’s likely that Klopp will regret selecting him over Nunez, who is playing well.

imminent squad boost couldn’t come at a better moment.

It should not be forgotten that Conor Bradley and Dominik Szoboszlai’s absences prior of this match contributed to Liverpool’s already long list of absences.

However, now that this humiliating afternoon is over, there’s optimism that by the time the Reds play Burnley the following weekend, things will be much better.

If a minor recurrence of a hamstring injury turns out not to be significant, Szoboszlai has a chance to play, although Wataru Endo is almost certain to return.

And if fortune favours them both, Mohamed Salah and Kostas Tsimikas might even provide a team that has just welcomed Thiago back even more strength.

Liverpool needs that extra drive and quality if they are to get back on track and make sure they can compete on four fronts in the future.