If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, what was this – other than just another whirlwind Liverpool win? Unai Emery at least tried something new in Arsenal’s latest trip to Anfield by actually looking to contain the European champions, only to suffer the same sort of humiliation as ever: a 3-1 that often felt like another 5-1.

The club have now conceded 25 goals in their last seven visits here, as if they are suffering some sort of karmic payback for their greatest ever night here in 1989.

These are certainly numbers – and some performances – that could drive coaching staff to insanity. There will be other descriptions of some of David Luiz’s decisions. That was something else that just doesn’t change, just as Liverpool keep winning, to maintain their 100% start.

It’s not quite been a 100 per cent start for David Luiz.

Anyone that believes he can be the centre-half Arsenal so badly need – at least in a two – certainly needs to re-assess their thinking. Mohamed Salah, who scored twice, seemed to scramble the Brazilian’s brain. Albeit more belatedly than usual.

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

There was at least one difference to this defeat, that Arsenal can maybe see as some kind of meagre progress. They were still at least in the game at half-time, something that very much hadn’t been the case on most of their last few visits here, when Liverpool have usually blitzed them with so many goals by the 20th minute. That was because Emery did at least try something seemingly novel to his club at Anfield: defending. And not just defending, but ultra-defending, as they often had eight men around the box in what the coaching manuals would describe as the lowest of low blocks.

Rather than that keeping Liverpool out, though, it really just served to keep them at bay that bit longer. There was still an inevitability about the European champions scoring, such was the typical intensity of their play; such was the basic nature of Arsenal’s negative approach.

As early as a fourth-minute goal kick, Liverpool already had four players in Bernd Leno’s box, ready to hunt the ball down. Talk about hunger. Arsenal were never going to be able to live with it, and there were many times when those eight men around Leno really just resembled pinball flippers, for Liverpool to pound the ball off.

A goal was a matter of time, even if it didn’t come as quickly as usual.

Salah celebrates vs Arsenal (Getty)

And there was a similar inevitability to the source of it, even if that was more from a narrative sense.

David Luiz had been specifically signed to take command of that central defensive area, but could barely take his man as Joel Matip was left with the freedom of the box to head in the opener. And, really, the winner – even if it just happened to be much later than usual in this fixture.

The pattern had now been set. The game had been set.

Arsenal were going to have to open out, and that just meant Liverpool were going to close out the game.

It was all vintage stuff in that way, and especially from David Luiz. He of course had the kind of brainfreeze that has characterised a sometime brilliant career, making it so blatant he was grabbing Salah’s shirt for that penalty.

If there was almost an element of slow-motion farce to that, that couldn’t be said for the third goal. Salah just zipped past the same player, to surge through and sweep the ball into the corner.

David Luiz, already on a booking for the penalty, could literally only stand aside and watch as the Liverpool star scored.

We’ve seen that before between these teams.

Luiz endured a tough game at Anfield (AP)

Arsenal did at least ensure it wasn’t a fourth defeat in seven by three goals or more, as substitute Lucas Torreira scored late on. It still didn’t feel that much less deflating, or like it minimised the sense of a vast difference between these teams.

That is why there is entire sane logic to the repetitiveness of this fixture: Liverpool remain a much better team, with a much better idea of themselves, and how they want to play.

Emery still has so much work to do.