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#3 Fabinho showcases his versatility
The absence of Joe Gomez for Liverpool in their match against Chelsea last weekend saw Fabinho, normally a defensive midfielder, to drop back into the heart of defence alongside Van Dijk.
Many saw this as a potential weakness that the likes of Timo Werner and Kai Havertz could exploit, but the Brazilian proved all doubters wrong with a masterful performance, scarcely allowing Werner a kick throughout the game.
With Gomez returning against Arsenal this time around, Fabinho was once again able to take up his usual place in midfield. However, while his position on the pitch might have changed, the quality on show was just as impressive, as the former Monaco man produced another dominant performance that was instrumental in Liverpool securing the win.
Fabinho showcased his superb reading of the game throughout, taking up intelligent positions and nipping several Arsenal attacks in the bud. Excellently-timed tackles and great physicality, all with an undeniable touch of elegance, characterised the Brazilian’s performance in this game.
#4 Arsenal let down by wasteful finishing
Although the scoreline might suggest a comfortable Liverpool win, the result could have gone in a completely different direction had Arsenal made full use of the chances they created.
Having taken the lead despite barely registering a shot on target, Arsenal were buoyed by the arrival of Dani Ceballos in the second half and were much more present in an attacking sense.
However, Alexandre Lacazette spurned a couple of glorious chances when put clean through on goal, either one of which would have brought the Gunners back on level terms and given the game a different complexion.
Instead, it was Liverpool who went on and increased their lead while Arsenal were left rueing their profligacy in front of goal (and excellent goalkeeping from Alisson) - something you just can’t do when facing a side of Liverpool’s quality.
#5 Jota signing already appears to be an excellent one for Liverpool
There was a time in the off season when Liverpool looked like the signing of left-back Kostas Tsimikas from Olympiacos would be the only piece of business they do all summer. Questions had started to be asked of their intent, something which they had shown a lot of during their march to their first Premier League title.
However, in just a matter of days, the defending champions markedly improved their squad with the signings of newly-crowned Champions League winner Thiago from Bayern Munich, swiftly followed through the door by Diogo Jota from Premier League rivals Wolves.
While Thiago was impressive in his 45-minute cameo at Stamford Bridge, it was Portuguese forward Jota who made a favourable impression here, scoring on his league debut for the Reds.
Having made reinforcements to their defence, midfield, and attack, and with a few days left in the transfer window to make further acquisitions, Liverpool’s transfer dealings this season have been remarkably astute and will surely serve them well.
