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Jurgen Klopp Outwits Arsene Wenger in Battle of Injury Hit Squads
- Updated: August 15, 2016
EMIRATES STADIUM, London — Liverpool produced an emphatic 4-3 comeback victory in their 2016/17 Premier League season opener away to Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, with four goals in under 20 minutes sparking a relentless second half in north London.
Going behind to a Theo Walcott strike, shortly after the England forward had seen his penalty saved by Simon Mignolet, the Reds needed a moment of magic from playmaker Philippe Coutinho to prompt their revival.
The Brazilian’s inch-perfect free-kick gave Petr Cech no chance just before half-time, and this gave Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp the impetus to drive his side on at the interval—and with goals from Adam Lallana, Sadio Mane and another from Coutinho sealing a 4-1 lead just after the hour mark, it served as the ideal inspiration.
Arsenal grabbed two back through ex-Southampton duo Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Calum Chambers, but the Reds held firm and secured their first three points in what they will hope is a watershed season under the German manager.
The Emirates Stadium rose into a crescendo of jeers at full-time, as the disaffected Arsenal support voiced their concerns over another summer of frugality from Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, who, with just two weeks of the transfer window left, has made just three signings compared to Klopp’s seven.
Speaking after the game, the Frenchman rued how his side was “not ready physically,” as well as citing the inexperience of his starting lineup—which included 21-year-old Chambers and 20-year-old Rob Holding paired at centre-back—as a key factor behind their capitulation.
But for this crucial campaign opener, this could also be attributed to Klopp’s Liverpool side, with the German unable to call upon a number of his most prominent names.
However, the major difference between Klopp and his esteemed counterpart was that the Reds manager was prepared for this, as Liverpool made light of their own injury concerns in a display that promised much for the season ahead.
Arsenal headed into their first clash of 2016/17 noticeably depleted. The Gunners had already seen veteran squad players Mathieu Flamini, Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky leave on the expiry of their contracts before injury crisis struck.
Former Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck played his last game for the club in May’s 2-2 draw away to Manchester City, with the 25-year-old’s knee injury keeping him out for the summer’s European Championship.
Per Mertesacker, another key absentee, is also unavailable due to a knee problem, with the lofty German expected to be sidelined until the new year, while his fellow centre-back Gabriel Paulista will be out until October.
Utility man Carl Jenkinson rounded off Wenger’s list of injury concerns before Sunday’s clash, but the 66-year-old was also unable to call upon Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud, with the trio still working on their fitness following their involvement at the Euros in France.
Koscielny’s absence was arguably felt the most, with Wenger forced to field his inexperienced duo at the heart of defence, with the Arsenal back four of Chambers, Holding, Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal starting with an average age of just 23.
Elsewhere, Alex Iwobi …
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