VIDEO: LIVERPOOL 5 – 1 ARSENAL [PREMIER LEAGUE] HIGHLIGHTS 2018/19
Roberto Firmino was at his ruthless best as he scored his first Premier League hat-trick to inspire a 5-1 demolition of Arsenal at Anfield and put Liverpool nine points clear at the summit after Tottenham’s defeat to Wolves.
The visit of Unai Emery’s men was seen as a potentially troublesome fixture, but the Reds made light work of them, with all of their revered front three finding the net in a devastating performance.
A chaotic five-minute spell in the first half saw Ainsley Maitland-Niles put Arsenal ahead, before a quickfire Firmino brace turned the score around. Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah ensured a rampant Liverpool went into the break 4-1 up.
Liverpool’s pressure did not subside after half-time and Firmino completed his treble from the spot 25 minutes from time, rounding off a miserable day for the Gunners and increasing the heat on Manchester City ahead of their meeting with Southampton on Sunday.
Arsenal went ahead in the 11th minute when Maitland-Niles tapped in Alex Iwobi’s excellent left-wing cross.
But within five minutes, they were trailing.
Firmino equalised from close range after Stephan Lichtsteiner played a clearance against Shkodran Mustafi.
The Brazilian then brilliantly slalomed past two defenders and finished coolly into the bottom-right corner from 18 yards 90 seconds later.
Mane got in on the act just past the half-hour mark, emphatically slamming home after a squared pass from Salah.