Liverpool produced a devastating display of attacking football to claim a comprehensive 4-0 win over a ragged Arsenal side at Anfield.

Goals from Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane in a dominant first-half display set up victory before Mohamed Salah and substitute Daniel Sturridge completed the rout.

The Gunners were swept aside with embarrassing ease and, were it not for several good saves from Petr Cech, their defeat could have been even more humiliating.

TWEET OF THE MATCH

STAR MAN

Mane. Among the many excellent performances in the Liverpool team, Sane’s was just about the best. Gave the Arsenal defence huge problems throughout, and his 40th-minute strike was an absolute beauty.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Mane’s goal. Liverpool showcased their ruthless attacking prowess throughout the contest, but the second goal was the standout moment. A swift Reds counter-attack saw Firmino feed Mane and the Senegal international cut inside Rob Holding before curling a superb shot past Cech.

VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT

What a contrast. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp witnessed another fantastic attacking showing from his team that added further weight to the suggestion they could cope even if Philippe Coutinho were to leave, and saw his surprise decision to rest goalkeeper Simon Mignolet pay off, with Loris Karius more or less untroubled.

Arsene Wenger, on the other hand, watched his side turn in an abject display that frequently veered into the embarrassing. The Gunners were incredibly poor at the back and offered very little in terms of an attacking threat, despite Alexis Sanchez having returned to the fray. Record signing Alexandre Lacazette came on just after the hour but it was all too late by then, with Liverpool 3-0 up.

RATINGS

Liverpool

Loris Karius 6 (out of 10)
Joe Gomez 7
Joel Matip 7
Dejan Lovren 7
Alberto Moreno 7
Georginio Wijnaldum 7
Jordan Henderson 8
Emre Can 7
Mohamed Salah 8
Sadio Mane 9
Roberto Firmino 8

Substitutes

Daniel Sturridge (for Mane, 74) 7
James Milner (for Firmino, 80) 6
Marko Grujic (for Can, 84) 6

Arsenal

Petr Cech 7
Nacho Monreal 4
Laurent Koscielny 4
Rob Holding 4
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 4
Granit Xhaka 4
Aaron Ramsey 4
Hector Bellerin 4
Mesut Ozil 4
Danny Welbeck 5
Alexis Sanchez 5

Substitutes

Francis Coquelin (for Ramsey, HT) 5
Olivier Giroud (for Sanchez, 62) 5
Alexandre Lacazette (for Oxlade-Chamberlain, 62) 6

WHO’S UP NEXT?

Manchester City v Liverpool (Premier League, September 9 )
Arsenal v Bournemouth (Premier League, September 9 )