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The easiest way to take opponents out of the equation and find space is through playing long passes.

The Reds’ architect in chief of this was Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was making his first start after 14 Liverpool matches and a little over two months since his last one.

Per FBRef, he completed nine long passes — those of over 30 yards in length — which is a relatively high total when not playing a full game.

Alexander-Arnold delivered just the ninth instance of a Reds player succeeding with at least nine long balls when playing no more than 71 minutes away from home in the last seven seasons.

He was responsible for three of the other eight, with Thiago Alcântara’s Liverpool debut at Chelsea top of the pile, with 13 long passes completed in just 45 minutes.

But it was a long pass from the number 66 which set the wheels of the move in motion, as he released Luis Díaz on the left and Atalanta failed to regain possession until it was kicking off at 1-0 down.

The same link-up started a sequence leading to an Opta-defined big chance just five minutes later.

Alexander-Arnold again found Díaz with a long ball and three passes later the Colombian was clean through on the Atalanta goal.

The long ball against the Gunners was the only chance-creating one in that match but Liverpool had three in both of the following games against Burnley and Newcastle (including two from Alexander-Arnold at Turf Moor), the shots just went unconverted.
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