Monday 22 December 2014 16:40, UK
"It was a bizarre game and lots of unusual things happened." That was how Sky Sports pundit Alan Smith summed up Liverpool and Arsenal's thrilling 2-2 draw on Super Sunday.
Here are the top five talking points from the big match at Anfield...
Liverpool’s system
Dejan Lovren’s injury against Bournemouth may have forced Brendan Rodgers to change his line-up for the 26th time in a row this season, but the Liverpool boss seems to have struck upon a formation he is happy with.
Playing 3-4-3 against Manchester United last weekend showed signs of promise - despite defensive lapses - whilst there was plenty of encouragement from a Capital One Cup win over Championship leaders Bournemouth in midweek. However, against Arsenal on Sunday, Liverpool’s new system clicked.
Opta began compiling individual match records in 2003 and since then, Arsenal have never faced so many shots (27) or been restricted to such little possession (35 per cent) as they did at Anfield.
"Liverpool, especially in the first half, were by far the dominant team," Craig Bellamy told Sky Sports. "In the last three games, they've gone with that system and they've definitely been more of an attacking threat, so I see no reason why they're going to change that. I'm sure Rodgers is happy with the way the team is progressing."
The former Liverpool forward pointed out Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho impressed in their wide forward roles in the formation, and the stats back that up. Lallana created five chances, including his pinpoint corner for Martin Skrtel's late equaliser, while Coutinho scored a fine goal from the edge of the box.
Arsenal stutter
In contrast, Arsenal - who went into the contest following back-to-back 4-1 thrashings of Newcastle and Galatasaray - looked far from their best. The visitors may have been just a few minutes away from taking all three points from Anfield, but there's no question they were on the back foot for much of the contest.
"More often than not, Arsenal dominate against whatever shape they’re playing," said Smith. "They did cope with it better in the second half but it was unlike them. They carved out a good goal for Olivier Giroud and showed character to grab that one before half-time but it’s reflective of their season; they haven’t been able to hit top gear like they have in most seasons previously.
"It's an improvement on last year, when they got thumped 5-1. But they've come here and not been able to get the result, despite getting their noses in front. From that point of view, it's a disappointment."
Poor defending
"Conceding goals from set pieces is becoming a habit for Liverpool. That's 14 [set-piece] goals they've conceded in 26 games and that can’t be right," said Jamie Redknapp, analysing Arsenal's equaliser on the stroke of half-time, after Mathieu Debuchy out-jumped Martin Skrtel to nod in. "It's about people taking responsibility. Liverpool have tried zonal marking and man-to-man but that goal is purely down to people losing individual battles."
Mamadou Sakho was then culpable of giving Giroud too much space in the box to score Arsenal's second just after the hour mark but it was the visitors' own defending in the final moments of the game which proved the most costly - and received the sharpest criticism from the Sky Sports pundits.
Defending a corner, Arsenal set up a zonal marking system across their six-yard box - allowing Skrtel to run in and meet Lallana's cross, while Per Mertesacker shied away and Kieran Gibbs left the near post unguarded.
"If you give someone six yards to have a run and jump, there's only one winner," said Redknapp. "And I can't wait to see Monday Night Football to see what Jamie Carragher does with Mertesacker, their big, dominant centre-back jumping out of the way. And why is Gibbs not on the post? As that ball goes over your head, you should be for all your life getting back onto that post. And he doesn't. Chances are he might have cleared it away."
Borini's red card
By that point, Liverpool had been reduced to 10 men. Fabio Borini - making just his sixth Premier League appearance this season - had demonstrated his frustration as Liverpool searched for a late equaliser by throwing the ball away and then picked up a second yellow just two minutes later after leaving stud marks on Santi Cazorla's chest.
"We’ve all been there as players when you're not in the team, you're desperate to be in the team and when you get your opportunity, you try almost too hard. I think that's what he's done. He was running around like a man possessed," said Redknapp.
However, Bellamy reckons Borini's performance could be one of his last in a Liverpool shirt, and tipped the out-of-favour forward to leave in January.
Festive fixtures
The immediate future looks brighter for Liverpool, though. Lallana told Sky Sports after the game the players are hoping their late leveller will give them momentum going into the Christmas fixtures and Liverpool have a favourable run of games coming up. The Reds play just two teams in the top half of the table in their next six - Swansea and West Ham - with Burnley, Leicester, Sunderland and Aston Villa also on their schedule.
"If Liverpool can continue on their upward curve, they are going to pick up some points and do better than they have done in the first part of the season," said Smith. "You look at that fixture list and they should be fairly optimistic, given the way they've played in the last week or so."
In contrast, Arsenal face QPR on Boxing Day before clashes with fourth and fifth-placed West Ham and Southampton, before Sky Live clashes with Stoke, Man City and Aston Villa.