Not quite the searing annihilation of two years ago, perhaps, when Liverpool were three-up on Arsenal in quarter of an hour, but it was a mighty win for them, all-right: a night which left those of an Anfield disposition perhaps not knowing whether to laugh or cry. If they only achieved this kind of display against those sides with no reputation, they might be challenging Chelsea for the title.

The outcome must be viewed in the context of Arsenal’s desperate first half performance yet it was a reminder, too, of Liverpool’s glorious autumn in which the attacking big four – Philippe Coutinho, Sadio Mane, Adam Lallana, Roberto Firmino - looked equal to anyone. Coutinho looked his best in weeks and Mane, contributor to both goals, dominated the Arsenal left. A moment of sublimity from Firmino early in the second half – chest control, drag back behind Bellerin and shot – was a metaphor for his enduring class.

Liverpool’s belief flowered as the reality of Arsenal’s early hopelessness dawned. They hunted in packs during a first half in which Francis Coquelin and Grant Xhaka were terrorised and mentally spent, and in which Arsene Wenger’s full-backs were utterly absent when each of the decisive first half goals came in.

There was strife to go with all this, when Alexis Sanchez was left on the bench and spent the first half glowering in the dug-out. His absence gave Liverpool a pass. Without his threat, the home defence could afford a higher line from the outset, with Emre Can organised to drop into the back four to deal with Olivier Giroud when required.

Giroud had previously scored five in seven against Liverpool in the Premier League, which offered some rationale to Wenger’s Sanchez decision – but not much. The decision seems to stem substantially from the psychological state Sanchez is in. His body language after the 5-1 defeat at Munich two weeks ago, crouched on the pitch at the end, telegraphed how he took the dreadful display personally and was above it all. He remonstrated with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the pitch that night and did the same with Nacho Monreal when he arrived after half time here and you sense it is his attitude which Wenger had taken against. He senses a selfishness.

That kind of a statement from a manager is all very well when his side goes out and delivers, yet Arsenal without Sanchez were pitiful. From them it was the ‘anti-press’; a first half in which they invited Can to look up and select a pass. Can has not been demonstrating the kind of form which entitles him to his delay on contract talks, yet the space opened up for him and the confidence came freewheeling back.

The goals both displayed Liverpool’s fast exchange of passes at their best, though included a desperate quality of defending, too. Mane slid a cross from the right on nine minutes, which Coutinho tried to flick in. He missed, so Firmino, behind him, did the honours - drilling home instead, with Hector Bellerin drawn fatally into the area and away from the lurking threat. Firmino returned the favour for Mane six minutes before half-time, finding the Senegalese in such space - five yards of it – that he had time to control, take aim and level a right foot shot beyond Petr Cech.

Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Show all 22 1 /22 Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Brad Jones Let Giroud’s shot through his legs too easily and perhaps could have done better with Debuchy’s opener, too. 3 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Kolo Toure Too easily beaten for Giroud’s goal, he looked slow and cumbersome throughout but nevertheless found time for some of his typical buccaneering runs forward. 4 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Martin Skrtel At fault for Arsenal’s equaliser when he allowed Debuchy to steal in at the back post but made up for that error with the equaliser, a howitzer off an injured forehead. 6 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Mamadou Sakho There is a good player waiting to break out – but Sakho still looks shaky when pressurised by fast attackers. 6 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Jordan Henderson Neat and tidy at points, but in this remodelled, strikerless Liverpool system he appears less able to cut defences open with passes and driving runs. 6 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Lucas Leiva How Coutinho benefits from having a player of his defensive responsibility mopping up behind him. Almost scored too, with a late run into the box. 8 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Steven Gerrard Willed his team on in the last ten minutes as is his wont. Less influential than before but still such a massive influence on this team. 6 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Lazar Markovic Far, far better than he has been so far in a left wing-back role. Missed two good opportunities to put Liverpool in front but Rodgers may yet have found a gem in the 20-year-old. 7 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Philippe Coutinho Livelier than he has been since last season, the Brazilian looks far more comfortable with Lucas behind him. Perfectly-placed shot found the corner to put his side ahead but guilty of missed opportunities thereafter. 8 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Raheem Sterling Left Debuchy for dead midway through the second half in a reminder of his luminous skill and, along with Coutinho, was Liverpool’s biggest threat throughout. 7 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Adam Lallana Does not and indeed has never looked worth £25m. Flitted in and out of the game with sporadic touches of skill. 5 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Wojciech Szczesny Could do nothing about either Coutinho’s well-placed shot or Skrtel’s bullet header. 7 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Calum Chambers He will be a fine player, but he looked overawed by Coutinho and Lallana’s movement. 6 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Mathieu Debuchy Struggled defensively but contributed meaningfully at the other end of the pitch, popping up with a crucial equaliser right on half time. 7 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Per Mertesacker A mistake waiting to happen. Looked rickety early on as Sterling and Coutinho drove at him and should have at least attempted to stop Skrtel powering past him for the equalising header. 4 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Kieran Gibbs Was fortunate that most of Liverpool’s threat was confined to the left wing. Got forward well as is his custom. 6 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Quieter than the bullocking figure of recent weeks, he struggled to impose himself on the game. 6 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Mathieu Flamini Struggled early to track Coutinho and received a yellow for hauling him down. Could have been sent off after clashing with Lallana. 5 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Alexis Sanchez A peripheral presence but won the free kick from Gerrard that led to Debuchy’s goal. Oddly quiet thereafter and eventually departed the field. 5 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Santi Cazorla An effervescent display. Allowed further forward in the second half, he responded with a serving shot that travelled narrowly wide and the delicious cutback from which Giroud put Arsenal ahead. 8 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Danny Welbeck Quiet before he was hurt in a clash with Sakho midway through the second half, and limped on ineffectually thereafter. 7 GETTY IMAGES Liverpool vs Arsenal player ratings Olivier Giroud Hit a snapshot over on 62 minutes, and was often played wide in the first half. But he made the crucial intervention by slotting home Cazorla’s cross. 7 GETTY IMAGES

Sanchez took only minutes to breathe fire into Wenger’s side when arriving immediately after the interval, bullying Can in midfield and sliding a ball into the inside left channel after 56 minutes for Danny Welbeck to clip an excellent finish over Simon Mignolet.

In the Arsenal tradition of recent years, the side found some fight when the fight looked like it was gone – pressing, harrying and testing the vulnerability in Liverpool’s central defence. Theirs was a very open formation, yet Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain billeted in central midfield as Sanchez took the left hand berth, contributed well. Mignolet had already been forced to palm over when a cross looped over Ragnar Klavan for Giroud to head, before Arsenal scored.

Arsenal must be asking where the tunnel they are trapped in is taking them (Getty)

Liverpool had their own chance to put the game away when a Coutinho free-kick presented Joel Matip with a free header and substitute Divock Origi headed against the upright from a James Milner free-kick eight minutes later. The game was in its dying embers when Liverpool finished it off – an imperious pass from the Firmino outstep finding Origi who crossed for Georginio Wijnaldum to strike home. It was some finish from a midfielder under such pressure.

Jurgen Klopp’s side stride into the top four, still daring to believe that they are progressing. Arsenal are simply left bereft - wondering where on earth this tunnel will take them and when they will find some light.

Teams

Liverpool (4-3-3): Mignolet; Milner, Matip, Klavan, Clyne; Lallana, Can, Wijnaldum; Mane, Firmino, Coutinho, Substitutes not used: Karius, Lovren, Moreno, Lucas

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Cech; Bellerin, Xhaka, Koscielny, Monreal; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Coquelin; Welbeck, Iwobi, Mustafi; Giroud. Substitutes not used: Ospina, Gibbs, Gabriel, Sanchez, Ramsey

Star man: Firmino