Alisson admits Liverpool needed to get back to their best after “downgrading” | Football news

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Ahead of Liverpool’s game with Arsenal, goalkeeper Alisson believes the champions’ victory at Chelsea shows they are close to their best again.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson says Liverpool are “back on the right track” after “lowering” their record level before the coronavirus pandemic.

Before the March lockdown, Liverpool had lost just five points all season and had been undefeated until February 29, when Watford surprised Jurgen Klopp’s men with a 3-0 win at Vicarage Road.

However, when the Premier League season resumed in June, the Reds racked up 17 points in their last nine games, fewer than both Manchester teams, as well as Tottenham, Chelsea and Southampton.

But after a nervous opening day win against Leeds, Liverpool felt more comfortable in their 2-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday; and in the process picked up their first clean sheet in the league in seven games, since beating Aston Villa at Anfield in early July.

Klopp refused to acknowledge that Liverpool’s form had occasionally faltered at the end of last season, but goalkeeper Alisson, speaking ahead of his home game with Arsenal, to live Monday night football Starting at 7:45 p.m. (8:00 p.m. start), he admitted that he was left with the feeling that they needed to get back to their best after losing a consistency rate that had drawn attention throughout the league for much of the season. Bell.

“We know we are down a bit, we don’t know why,” he said. “It was not something we wanted to do, but we knew that we had to get back on our way if we want to be competitive this season for the title, because I think this season the level is higher.

“It’s just the beginning of the season, we had a tough game against Leeds, it was an open game where anything can happen. It was 4-3 and a good game for anyone watching football, but a really difficult game to play. .

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FREE TO SEE: Highlights of Liverpool’s victory over Chelsea in the Premier League

“Then you have Chelsea out and he’s a tough opponent and then the way we went to the field from a mental perspective, I really liked it. I like the intensity of the game, I like the way we defended too, the opponent had some chances. to score, but it was because of the quality of the opponent. But what I liked was our mentality in that game. I think we’re on the right track again. “

‘We will do better against Arsenal this time’

Arsenal were one of two teams to beat Liverpool in the last nine games of last season, before doing the same at the Community Shield last month at Wembley.

Mikel Arteta has received applause for his transformation of the Gunners’ style, leading them to FA Cup glory in the process last season, and has impressed Alisson with the way that, in his first role as team manager, he has gone about his business. .

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the winning penalty in Arsenal’s penalty shootout over Liverpool at the Community Shield

However, now that the Brazilian believes Liverpool are back on the right track, he feels it could be a case of luck for a third time for the Reds as they look to rectify a disappointing record against Arsenal with Arteta.

He said: “With their quality, I think they have a really good team on paper and they are taking things out on the field. You can see that they are playing together, very well organized in the defensive phase and they have fantastic forwards with very good quality who can make decisive decisions on the field.

“But also, I think that now with more games played, our team will do better against them. Also back with a clean sheet, it’s something mental that gives you the confidence to keep going and I think it will be a really good game.” . “

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