Florian Wirtz takes big Liverpool step as Arne Slot gets double boost amid transfer intrigue

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Florian Wirtz eventually limped off with cramp after a promising second-half showing in Liverpool's victory over Arsenal (Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

If the manic encounter at Newcastle United last Monday gave Florian Wirtz an eye-opener regards the intensity of the Premier League, the visit of Arsenal was more an indication of the standards of English football.

Not that it made the job any easier for the Germany international as he continues to acclimatise following his club record £116m arrival from Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the summer.

And Wirtz once again found it tough going, bounced to the ground by Riccardo Calafiori and sent tumbling by Declan Rice during an opening period in which he swiftly retreated to the periphery.

He wasn’t the only attack-minded Liverpool player to struggle as Arsenal smothered a team still attempting to build new understandings in most areas of the pitch.

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Had Wirtz not appeared after the interval, it would have been understandable.

This was another big box ticked for the new boy.

Defensive duo respond

If the early-season scrutiny for Liverpool has been on the defence, two players in particular have attracted the greater attention.

And both Milos Kerkez and Ibrahima Konate delivered an encouragingly positive response here.

While Arsenal were timid in attack first half, much of their danger came down the right through the jet-heeled Noni Madueke.

Kerkez, though, was more than a match, ensuring he wasn’t often exposed for pace with a number of solid challenges while making life uncomfortable for his opponent.

And during the second half, one strong sliding tackle to halt a dangerous Arsenal attack roused the Anfield crowd.

Konate, meanwhile, was much more composed than of late, helped by overpowering Gabriel Martinelli and Viktor Gyokeres early on to swiftly drag the home support onside and settle any self-doubt.

There will be concerns the Frenchman limped off towards the end, even if he claimed to be suffering only from cramp.

It lasted barely an hour with Mac Allister, clearly some way short of full fitness and sharpness, replaced by Curtis Jones.

If Jones had been quietly composed during the Newcastle storm last Monday, here it was his hounding of the Arsenal midfield and especially his England colleague Rice that did much to wrest the momentum inexorably towards the home team.

With Szoboszlai excelling elsewhere, it demonstrated why Slot is in a better position to rotate his midfield resources during what is likely to be a demanding season.

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This was Liverpool first win in seven against Arsenal in the league but extended their unbeaten home run in the competition against the Londoners to 13, matching the club record set almost 37 years earlier.

And Szoboszlai’s screamer means the only Premier League game under Slot in which they have failed to score remains the home defeat to Nottingham Forest almost a year ago.