Jonathan Woodgate gushed over Thiago Alcantara on BBC Radio 5 Live after the Liverpool midfielder fed Diogo Jota to score during their 2-0 win at Arsenal on Wednesday night.
The Reds weathered a difficult first-half with the home side causing Jurgen Klopp’s men a raft of issues. Gabriel Martinelli, in particular, enjoying a lot of success tormenting Trent Alexander-Arnold. But Mikel Arteta’s side crucially lacked a cutting edge in the final-third.
Klopp’s half-time team talk and superb work from Alisson to deny Martin Odegaard after the break then worked a trick. As Liverpool came out from the dressing room to show the clinical instincts in attack Arsenal had lacked, with Jota then Roberto Firmino firing home.
Thiago threaded a 24-yard pass through the right-hand of Arsenal’s midfield and defence to find Jota for Liverpool’s breakthrough. The Portuguese then drilling the ball in at Aaron Ramsdale’s near post after bursting into the box, away from Cedric Soares and Ben White.
Klopp instantly replaced Jota, despite scoring, to introduce Firmino, having prepared the change before going ahead in north London. The Brazilian would only need six minutes to score at the Emirates Stadium, though, after flicking home Andrew Robertson’s low cross.
Woodgate gushes over ‘exceptional’ Thiago for Liverpool star’s assist for Jota
Thiago left former Middlesbrough coach Woodgate in awe with his assist for Jota to score Liverpool’s first at Arsenal. The £20m ex-Bayern Munich star has now created two goals in 17 Premier League appearances so far this season, with his first since September at Leeds.
“The pass from Thiago was exceptional,” Woodgate said. “Jota gets on to it, a fantastic finish – but Aaron Ramsdale has to do better.”
Liverpool’s win over Arsenal moves Thiago, Jota and co to within a point of league-leaders Manchester City. Jota has also pulled one clear of Sadio Mane, Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo as the second-best top-flight goalscorer so far this term behind Mohamed Salah.
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