As Dave would say, it is one of the good days. How much would he have enjoyed that?
It started badly though. Five minutes before kickoff, a tea-related accident saw me fail to place the filter jug securely on the sideboard and my desperate fumbling did not manage to prevent it crashing to the floor, cracking its plastic and spilling water everywhere. As I scurried with old cloths, I reflected that my handling is not as solid as Raya’s and that I was glad he had been passed fit to start.
Two minutes into the game and we were ahead from our second shot. Akanji received the ball from Stones just outside his own area and a heavy touch offered Trossard all the encouragement he needed to get a foot in. The ball squirted to Rice who layed it to Havertz with a lightning first time pass. The German played it unselfishly to Odegaard and our captain found the net despite a flick off Stones whose despairing dive wasn’t enough to save his mate’s blushes.
At this point, I wondered if I was gonna have to wreck a Brita before every match from now on.
I was on my feet when we had the ball in the net again three minutes later, but Martinelli had gone too early and was clearly offside. Calm down everyone.
City had more possession, the aging Silva dropping deep to start plays for them, whilst Odegaard did the same for us. The half progressed uncomfortably. It really is no fun playing this lot. They’ve got a good record against us, there is a lot on the line, and they are good enough that they can punish any mistake, meaning that every error leaves me with my heart in my mouth. So do near misses for us, and that familiar sinking feeling made an unwelcome return after twenty-five minutes when Rice nicked in to steal the ball high up the pitch and it fell to Havertz in the penalty box. As City’s defenders and keepers scrabbled back, our striker took time to steady himself before dragging his shot wide. We should have been two up and I was worried that one would come back to haunt us.
It could well have done before the half time whistle but for a couple of outstanding saves from Raya. The first came from a Gvardiol header direct from a corner, a fantastic hand to push the ball up and out via the bar, frustrating the waiting Haaland. For the second, he got down quickly at his near post to block a Savinho shot deflected off Saliba’s ankle.
Their Brazilian was fouled by the impassable Timber who got a reasonable (if soft) yellow card, but Peter Bankes ignored Savinho brandishing an imaginary card (unless he saw it and simply followed the instruction). He also ignored Bernardo Silva when he charged Odegaard with a leading elbow as a high ball came down. The City captain was not watching the ball and simply played the man; it was a yellow all day long, unless you are playing against Arsenal.
Half-time came, and I could not be sure what had caused the lead and so was not entirely sure whether to smash the magimix or chuck a bucket of water on the kitchen floor. I ended up doing neither but regretted it within ten minutes of the restart when a bright spell from City led to a Haaland goal. He had only touched the ball five times in the first half, never decisively, but he made up for it when he shrugged off Saliba to head home a Savinho cross. The Frenchman won’t want to watch it back. The Norwegian looked satisfied with himself, which I cannot find fault with, but also had the sense to direct a fairly muted celebration at his own team’s fans after his much-publicised antics in the last game seemed to backfire. It was probably to prove a wise decision.
I had been hoping for a clean sheet, but it had not happened, and I’d barely steeled myself to go again when we were ahead once more. A poor pass from the insecure Foden was intercepted by Partey and he raced through the middle. The crowd screamed ‘shoot’ and he obliged with a middling effort that was headed straight for Ortega’s arms until it deflected off Stones and looped into the far corner. I screamed ‘get in’ so loudly and with such a fierce mixture of elation and venom that, ironically, both our cats bolted out the cat flap. I haven’t seen them since.
Five minutes later and we reached my favourite moment of the match. The utterly brilliant Lewis-Skelly found a pocket of space infield on the left, received a pass from Rice and took off towards goal. He cut in and shot well with his weaker foot, Ortega palming the ball off the post and into the net. The young man ran off to celebrate his first professional goal, sitting down in front of the home faithful and replicating Haaland’s meditation celebration. It was bold, it was ballsy, it was funny and, to my thorough enjoyment, it was dismissive. He didn’t spare a thought to the notion that he might light a fire under the league’s most deadly striker, so confident was he that we were going to win. This kid is not only a great player but he has an attitude and a self-belief I’ve rarely seen, far above most players. Saka and Nwaneri are quieter, but this young man puts himself centre-stage and then delivers. He’s got a huge future ahead of him and I can’t wait to see it unfold.
Martinelli went through soon after, his effort was well saved. Trossard recycled the rebound and kept the ball under pressure from Nunes. Silva, full of frustration, chased back and petulantly kicked our mesmeric Belgian. It should have been a second yellow card and a sending off. Instead, he received no sanction. The irony that he’d perpetrated his second yellow-worthy offence against Trossard was not lost on me. No matter who you are or what your agenda, what it beyond debate is that Silva in this game did more to warrant a red card than Trossard did at their place. Instead, less than a minute later Odegaard got a yellow for dissent after he was (correctly) penalised for a soft foul on Kovacic. Arsenal don’t get reffed the same as other teams – argue as much as you like about why that might be, but it is a fact, whatever the reasons.
While I’m at it, changing the interpretation of a law midway through a season is the same as changing the law, and anathema to fair competition. City players delayed restarts all over the pitch all game but not a single one got a yellow.
Mind you, they did get thumped…
Havertz got in on the act to make it four. A quick break started by the imperious Partey saw Martinelli race upfield and he layed it off to Havertz who cut onto his left foot and found the far corner. For the first time in years against this lot, I began to enjoy the watching experience.
We made some subs, Gabriel found himself on the right wing and dragged the ball through to Nwaneri in a bit of skill Ozil would have been content with. The magnificent crowd were enjoying themselves and the oles started up.
In injury time, there was time for one more. Rice swung a long diagonal to Nwaneri (this type of switch had ironically been City’s most effective tactic) and the young man cut inside and found the far corner from outside the area for the second time this week with the penultimate kick of the game. Hale End product with, err, end product.
So, lets get it right, this was a statement win. This was a thrashing. It started off tense but as it wore on we simply overran them. Partey was magnificent and shares MOTM with Lewis-Skelly for me. Everyone was excellent, and they thoroughly deserve all their flowers. Arteta too, he nailed everything today.
There is a long way still to go in this title race. So far, Liverpool have had everything their own way, whilst we have had everything go against us. But we are still in it, and we are a team to be feared. Keep the faith.
Until next time, ‘holics.
