Arsenal knew exactly what was riding on their meeting with Liverpool at Emirates Stadium as defeat was simply unthinkable.
If Arsenal had lost, they would have been eight points behind a Liverpool team who had been beaten in only one Premier League game this season when they arrived in north London on Sunday. It would, in reality, have ended their title hopes.
On the other side of the equation, the Gunners would be only two points adrift if they won so the celebrations at the end of this vital and fully merited 3-1 win were perfectly understandable.
This was a huge day in Arsenal’s title pursuit and it was to their credit that they pulled themselves together to get the three points after conceding a farcical equaliser seconds from the end of a first half they had dominated completely. It was a test of their mentality and character, one they passed.
The catalyst for Arsenal’s win was the outstanding Gabriel Martinelli, whose blistering run in the opening seconds to provide a cross that was almost turned in by Bukayo Saka set the tone.
Martinelli deserved his goal that put Arsenal 2-1 up, albeit as the beneficiary of an horrendous mix-up between Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson and captain Virgil van Dijk. He also deserved credit for pursuing a cause that seemed loss in chasing that routine long ball.
Leandro Trossard’s third added the final flourish to a crucial Arsenal triumph, in which midfield man Declan Rice was also outstanding, to put Mikel Arteta’s side right in the mix for the Premier League title.
