Liverpool keep tabs on Chelsea in Premier League race after hammering Arsenal

Saturday’s clash between Liverpool and Arsenal was expected to be a close contest. If anything, it was a game between two of the most in-form teams in the Premier League.

The Gunners came into the match on the back of a 10-game unbeaten run in all competitions while Jurgen Klopp’s side had only lost once since April.

The form guide, though, ended up being deceptive as Liverpool claimed the spoils with a dominant performance. And the Reds didn’t even need to move to second gear to get the job done.

Arsenal have been very impressive in recent months and they’ve been playing some entertaining football. But Mikel Arteta's men were simply no match for Liverpool at Anfield.

Reds hammer Arsenal in the Premier League

The opening 20 minutes may have given hope to the Arsenal faithful that their side could pull a surprise. However, once Liverpool settled into the game, it became a one-sided affair.

In the end, the Reds recorded an emphatic 4-0 win over Mikel Arteta’s side thanks to goals from Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah and Takumi Minamino.

Not many expected such a hammering but the Gunners also made things easy for the home side following some terrible defending at the back.

But for some brilliant saves from Aaron Ramsdale, the scoreline could’ve been worse for Arsenal. Yet nothing can be taken away from Liverpool, who were simply exceptional on the day.

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool are still hot on Chelsea's heels

Liverpool went into Saturday’s knowing it was a must-win game following Chelsea’s victory over Leicester City earlier in the day.

The Blues had opened a seven-point lead at the top of the table, which put Klopp’s side under a bit of pressure. However, they delivered to make sure the gap between them and the league leaders was reduced.

"All the games are opportunities for us. It was an exceptional performance. We grew into the game, we got better and better," Klopp said after the game, as quoted by Sky Sports.

"We controlled the game in a good way and played exciting stuff in the right moments. It was a mixture of a mature and exciting performance," he added.

"In games like this, it's important you keep your opponent as far away from your goal as possible and be decisive in the other areas. We grew into the game. It was not always a super game, it was just a controlled game," concluded the Liverpool boss.

The fact that both Chelsea and Manchester City won their matches means Liverpool remain third in the Premier League. However, the Reds are still very close to their rivals and haven’t allowed them to pull away following their win over Arsenal. Liverpool are currently four points behind Chelsea after 12 league games.