The Guardian 5 h ago

Stumbling block: Wirtz's and Liverpool’s costly struggles against tight defences | Andrew Beasley

Credit to Arsenal for restricting opportunities at Anfield but Iraola will need his side to learn to unpick low backlines

Liverpool did not have a shot on target in their 1-0 defeat by Arsenal on Sunday, according to Opta, the first time they have drawn this type of blank in a Premier League game at Anfield since records began in 2003-04. They did not find the target in a goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium this year either, though in both games they struck the woodwork. The margins tend to be fine when recording statistical outliers.

If Alexis Mac Allister’s floated ball from distance into David Raya’s waiting arms had actually counted as a shot, would Andoni Iraola’s side have delivered a markedly better attacking performance? Far more concerning for the Spaniard will be that his team had 52 touches in the Arsenal penalty area (which is good) to create only one Opta‑defined big chance (which is bad). The Premier League average this season is five times more efficient; 10.3 box touches per big chance.