Liverpool cannot with Arsenal in inferiority (0-0)

This January can be very long Liverpool. In his first great trial by fire without Mane y Salah, the ‘red’ box showed that they are going to be greatly missed after not being able to against a Arsenal with ten for more than half an hour in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal (0-0).

Show, little. At least offensive. Because Mikel Arteta and their pupils could well be set as an example in a school of how to defend in inferiority after Granit Xhaka saw the red card at 24′ for an entry in the stomach to Diego Jota as the last man. And that, also surpassing the drop in Martin Odegaard, who tested positive for coronavirus before the match began and Nketiah entered instead. Oh, and Cedric’s injury in the first minute, to spice things up a bit more.

Not even with all those could he Liverpool. Without imagination inside and with a slower pace than usual with the ball, his game became a want and can’t of crosses on the wing that, when they were not blocked by an Arsenal player, were taken out in the area by a defender ‘gunner’. White Y Gabriel They were splendid in the aerial game from the first minute. They won everything, including Virgil van Dijk when, desperately, he threw himself into the area to make nine.

In those few spaces left by the Arsenal, defending in a 3-5-1 in their own field, is where it was most noticeable that they were not Wrong Y mane, experts in taking advantage of these situations. Diego Jota in band contributed rather little and Minamino even less. The Japanese had the only two clear of the game and sent them out, especially one in discount with an empty goal after a bad start from Ramsdale.

It was not him Arsenal just defend yourself, at least for a while. Says the team was thrown on his back and it was a toothache in the few that he managed to get out. In fact, he was closer than any ‘red’ player to scoring, but Alisson’s attentive success prevented it.

This duel between Klopp and Arteta The Spanish clearly took it. Now, everything remains to be played at the Emirates in a week. Chelsea is already waiting at Wembley.