Wenger has no excuses – he made a terrible call

The decision to drop Alexis Sanchez simply beggars belief. In what circumstances does it make sense to drop the player with the most goals and most assists this season, who is also your standout player by quite some way?

The decision proved a costly one as Liverpool came firing out of the blocks and took a 2-0 lead back into the dressing rooms at half time. Wenger reacted, and brought Sanchez on immediately in an admission that he got his team selection completely wrong.

His omission was all the more confusing given that Sanchez played little more than 14 minutes in Arsenal’s last encounter, the 2-0 FA Cup victory over Sutton United 12 days ago, and has had plenty of rest. He isn’t out of form, having scored three goals in his last two starts, so what came over Wenger? He claimed that Arsenal wanted a more direct approach with Olivier Giroud leading the attack, but when has that ever been Wenger’s way? It’s a decision that by all accounts is baffling.

Sanchez immediately gives Arsenal their bite back

The mere presence of Alexis Sanchez on the pitch visibly lifted the confidence of his teammates, and it wasn’t long before they found a way back into the game, Sanchez releasing Danny Welbeck to gallop forward and dink the ball over the onrushing Simon Mignolet.

Sanchez's introduction sparked Arsenal into life (Getty)

The move was a stark contrast to the Arsenal side that played out the first half as if the match was a dead rubber, but that is hardly surprising. What must have been their reaction when Wenger informed the team that their best player was starting the match on the substitutes’ bench?

With each game, Sanchez is proving why he is indispensable for Arsenal, but unfortunately Arsenal are proving every week why he should really look elsewhere if he wants to win major trophies.

Mane, Coutinho and Firmino click once again

Liverpool’s lead trio looked unstoppable earlier in the season, but an injury to Philippe Coutinho and the African Cup of Nations duty for Sadio Mane severely disrupted Jurgen Klopp’s campaign. The three were not reunited until February, and it still took time for them to gel as they appeared to have lost the understanding that they built up over the first three months of the season.

Mane, Coutinho and Firmino are showing signs of their early season form (Getty)

But that bond suddenly looks like it is back. They were brilliant against Tottenham and were even better in the first half against Arsenal as they tried to blow away the Gunners early on. Mane is the spark that drives them forward, and it’s his ability to run with the ball at full speed that causes defenders to second guess where he is going and draws out the mistakes that he feeds off.

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

Standard of refereeing proves video technology is now a must

Kevin Friend at Manchester United, Anthony Taylor at Swansea and Bobby Madley at Liverpool. All three made extremely poor decisions during Saturday’s Premier League action, and it is yet another example of why officials need help to get what are quite simple decisions right.

Madley had to show Emre Can a second yellow card when he upended Theo Walcott to halt a counter attack, minutes after doing the same against Sanchez. But after rolling on the floor for a over a minute claiming injury, Madley chose not to even warn the midfielder, instead booking Granit Xhaka for dissent - a correct call but not the decision that needed to be made.

Emre Can was lucky not to be given a second booking for a foul on Theo Walcott (not pictured) (Getty)

If there is an official with complete access to video replays at the click of a button, the man in the middle can quickly ask for guidance, receive it in under a minute and make the right call rather than one that leaves a sense of injustice out on the pitch. Video replays have proven successful across the board, with rugby, cricket and tennis all the better for the introduction of new technology.

Even football has benefitted with the addition of goalline technology now clearing up even the closest of debates, so why is football’s authorities so scared of doing what just about everyone else can see needs to be done.

It’s getting very hard for Wenger to argue his own case

Arsene Wenger says he will make up his own mind over whether he will be Arsenal manager next season, but it must be getting awfully hard for him to convince himself that he’s still the right man for the job. Another Bayern Munich mauling in the Champions League, another Premier League collapse when they were expected to make the running for the title this season and now not even the top four is a guarantee.

It makes very grim reading for Wenger, who has seen something like this before in 2014 when his contract was last up for renewal. On that occasion, winning the FA Cup gave him enough belief that the side was moving in the right direction, and he agreed a new deal to remain with the club.

Wenger needs to ask himself if he is taking this team forwards? (Getty)