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24-летний игрок своей прекрасной игрой олицетворял все лучшее в Ливерпуле
COMMENT: The 24-year-old encapsulated everything good about the Reds in his best performance for the club since his summer switch from Hoffenheim
Through the wind, rain and snow, Roberto Firmino showcased the quality of his attacking pedigree at Anfield on Wednesday night. “Playing football at its best, that’s what you have to do against Arsenal,” was Jurgen Klopp’s pre-match request and the Brazilian delivered with aplomb in a riveting 3-3 draw.
The 24-year-old scored twice under the floodlights as the big freeze set in, and could have completed a first-half hat-trick had he not been denied by the woodwork. His second, an unstoppable curler nestled in the top right-hand corner from 25 yards, will be consumed on loop.
The goal that never was - Firmino with his back to goal, displaying a divine touch before swivelling and sending a rasper towards that fizzed off the bar - would’ve been the game’s ultimate moment.
The summer signing from Hoffenheim encapsulated everything good about Liverpool on the night: aggressive in and out of possession, determined to capitalise on offensive opportunities, as well as a tirelessness which is a trademark of Klopp teams.
Firmino was allowed the freedom to drift and disrupt Arsenal. No player on the pitch managed more shots, or efforts on target than the 24-year-old and his desire to track back and help Liverpool swiftly transition from defence to attack was matched by his ability to create time for himself with deft touches.
The man from Maceio, ‘The Paradise of Waters’, has picked off the league’s best teams this season. His goals have come against Manchester City and Arsenal, with assists registered against Chelsea, Leicester and at the Etihad as well.
On his performance against Arsene Wenger’s men, Klopp said: “I could talk about this for half an hour, but to be honest I think it should be normal because I know how good he is. If you are good, you have to show it and tonight he did.
“It was very important for us because for 95 minutes, he was always thinking about playing in different positions and in all of them was really good.
“He made perfect goals – the first was really good, the second spectacular, brilliant… whatever you want to say! It was a really good game.”
For all Firmino’s artistry, there was Liverpool’s comedy in defence to counter it. The Reds were authoritative from the first whistle, led twice, but their shortcomings at the back allowed Arsenal to switch to the front foot.
Klopp refused to criticise goalkeeper Simon Mignolet directly, but he was again culpable for not being commanding enough in his area. The best stoppers shout instructions at their defence before there is an opportunity for the opposition to score, not simply raise their voice in dissatisfaction after the ball is beyond them and over the line.
The Belgian’s agency has been briefing about a new long-term contract at Liverpool, but he cannot continue adding to his long list of major errors. Centrally, Mamadou Sakho was shaky after returning from a minor knee injury, which increased the responsibility and pressure on Kolo Toure.
Klopp should record an audio clip about his side’s inability to deal with set-pieces in order to avoid continuously repeating himself. Arsenal’s second and Olivier Giroud’s first of the night came from the Frenchman’s flick off a corner which Mignolet helped in.
The Reds boss also bemoaned Liverpool’s lack of concentration in key periods of play.
"We have to defend set plays better; it’s an easy thing to say but we have to work on it and we will work on it. We will analyse it, of course, and we have to do it better," Klopp said.
"We made a brilliant second goal and we stood in the game. The goal of Arsenal wasn’t too big a shock for us, and we made a perfect second goal and were really in the game.
"Then a little bit of losing control and especially around the second goal because Giroud was on the ground after a challenge. We stopped the game a little bit but it wasn’t stopped and they used the situation to make another easy goal.
"We lost control and it wasn’t too easy, we lost the ball easily. They are strong on counter-attacks, everybody knows this and so we had to defend. "In the second half we were again in the game; it was a little bit more open than the beginning of the first half but we came back into the game. At the end, it was brilliant from Giroud but in the beginning we have to defend it better – it was not too difficult. We have to be more concentrated in situations like this.
f Liverpool’s defence wasn’t porous enough, the roof in the Main Stand began to leak, showering those below them and forcing a closure of several areas.
But by the time the ball left Joe Allen’s foot in the 90th minute and beat Petr Cech, the bad weather and the expanding hole in the infrastructure above became irrelevant. Klopp ran up and down the touchline, removing his hoody as the snow hit his face during his wild screams and furious fist-pumps.
He was pleased with “a well-deserved draw in an all-time spectacular game,” but a more certain defensive display would have seen Liverpool clinch maximum points.
The Reds’ refusal to give up on the encounter was encouraging, but even more uplifting would’ve been victory in a match they gave themselves the platform to in the first 20 minutes.
Liverpool 3-3 Arsenal: Last-gasp Allen salvages thrilling draw
A brilliant clash at Anfield finally ended with a share of the points, as Olivier Giroud and Roberto Firmino both netted twice and the Wales international saved a draw
Joe Allen was Liverpool's saviour as he smashed home a dramatic late equaliser to hold Arsenal 3-3 in a game the hosts had led twice.
The midfielder latched on to fellow sub Christian Benteke's header to volley home at the death as an end-to-end clash finished all square.
Roberto Firmino had given the home side an early lead with a shot on the rebound, but Aaron Ramsey swiftly levelled.
Firmino put Liverpool back in front with an impressive strike, only for Olivier Giroud to net either side of half-time to move on to 12 Premier League goals this season and seal what looked like it would be a dramatic victory, before Allen's last-gasp impact.
The draw means Arsenal have won only one of their last five Premier League away games and now only top the table on goal difference from Leicester City, who won at Tottenham, although Manchester City's draw with Everton keeps Manuel Pellegrini's men three points off the pace.
Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, has overseen victories in two of Liverpool's last seven in the league, dropping them down to ninth position, but will be buoyed to have escaped with a point.
n a game that sparkled from the word go, the first meaningful attack produced the opening goal in the 10th minute.
Emre Can's powerful effort from the edge of the area was only parried away as far as Firmino by Petr Cech, who was rooted to the spot as the forward sharply spun and shot left-footed.
But Arsenal responded within four minutes. The hosts were unable to deal with a long clearance from Cech and Joel Campbell found space to slip an accurate pass through to Ramsey, with the midfielder's low effort beating Simon Mignolet at his near post.
A thrilling game continued when Klopp's men went back in front just five minutes later. After they had pressed the Arsenal backline high up the pitch to regain possession, James Milner fed Firmino 20 yards out and the Brazil international took one touch before unleashing a brilliant strike into the top corner.
Arsenal, though, produced another response within six minutes. Ramsey had almost equalised when he raced on to Giroud's flick-on and dinked a delicate finish over Mignolet, only to see Mamadou Sakho recover to head clear from the goal-line.
From the resulting corner, Giroud got the faintest of touches to Ramsey's in-swinging delivery and his effort somehow found its way through Mignolet's legs.
Giroud missed a golden opportunity to put the Gunners ahead a few moments later when Campbell and Theo Walcott combined on the right, with the England forward's cross cutting out Mignolet. The goal was gaping, but the France striker could only divert his effort back into the keeper's hands.
Firmino almost had a hat-trick on the stroke of half-time when his left-footed shot on the turn had Cech beaten, but clipped the top of the crossbar after good work from Jordon Ibe down the right.
Alberto Moreno flashed an attempt over from a presentable opportunity early in the second half, while Walcott produced an excellent solo run at the other end before firing just wide.
But Arsenal moved ahead for the first time on 55 minutes when Hector Bellerin and Campbell combined to find Giroud in the area and he slickly turned Kolo Toure to plant a finish into the far corner.
Klopp brought on Benteke in an attempt to find a spark, as well as throwing debutant defender Steven Caulker up top, and the Belgian's muscularity helped find parity as a knockdown fell at the feet of Allen, who swept home in front of a jubilant Kop to snatch a point.
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