Liverpool has distributed Arsenal, Chelsea came to Mourinho’s level, Swansea best team of the Wales.

Liverpool 5 Arsenal 1 :20 min sudden death for Arsenal in Anfield

After a four-goal rampage inside 20 minutes – Liverpool taking up where they left off in the demolition derby here against Everton – the Frenchman was more in need of a padded cell.

Arms flapping at his side on the touchline, he could barely believe what he was witnessing as Liverpool snapped like terriers and devoured their prey with a ravenous appetite.

Not exactly the performance to set before major shareholder Stan Kronke who was making a rare appearance in this country, probably hoping to escape an iced-up USA.

Instead, it was his football team who froze on an afternoon in which they were exposed as great title pretenders rather than the real thing.

It was certainly a case of ‘Silent Stan’ as he sat in the front row of the directors box at one stage nursing a cup of coffee. Something stronger was definitely in order.

It had simply been breathtaking, a continual red tide surging towards the Anfield Road end from the kick-off much to the delight of the baying Kop.

“Top of the league, you’re having a laugh” mocked the joyous Liverpool fans, many of whom hadn’t come down from cloud nine after seeing their neighbours despatched on the back of a 4-0 stuffing.

Believe me, it could have been a lot worse for the Gunners during that period of utter Liverpool domination which must have had Wenger fearing a repeat of the 8-2 Manchester United drubbing of two seasons ago.

In the end Liverpool, who must now be hot favourites to win the race for fourth place and the final Champions League place, settled for 5-1.

Little did Per Mertesacker know that a slight pull back on Luis Suarez within the first minute would end in so much carnage.

Referee Michael Oliver spotted the tug and brought play back for Steven Gerrard to fizz in a free-kick which was prodded in by Martin Skrtel after Mikel Arteta’s failed attempt to intercept.

Just fifty-three seconds were on the clock but time was already up for Arsenal who went to pieces, looking a complete shambles rather than a team lording it on the Premier League summit and having ambitions of ending their nine-year wait for a trophy.

It was Skrtel again – the Slovakian, a huge ice hockey fan who can’t wait for the Winter Olympics – who made it 2-0 with a stupendous header, arching backwards from a Gerrard corner to send the ball soaring into the roof of the net.

Would Arsenal wake up soon? Like shell-shocked Rip van Winkles they slept on as Liverpool continued to wield their wrecking ball. Two minutes later it should have been 3-0 as Suarez sent Daniel Sturridge clear, only for the England man to chip just wide.

Within a minute Suarez, who must be wondering how he missed out on the goals, smashed a wondrous volley from Gerrard-s cleverly flighted corner against the post.

But there was no respite for Arsenal as Liverpool a third goal. Raheem Sterling had a simple tap-in after Jordan Henderson robbed an ineffective Mesut Ozil to free Suarez, who supplied the inviting low cross.

The early storm was complete when Philippe Coutinho, whose creativity scaled new heights, supplied the killer ball for Sturridge who this time didn’t disappoint, a sublime finish making it 14 goals in 17 league appearances this season.

Those smelling an Anfield bloodlust had to wait until after the break for the next goal, Sterling moving onto a ball from Kolo Toure to beat Wojciech Szczesny at the second attempt.

Sterling was denied his hat-trick when Szczesny got the better of a player described by manager Brendan Rodgers as currently the best England winger in the country.

Arsenal at least showed some damage limitation qualities and grabbed a goal from an Arteta penalty awarded after Gerrard had tripped Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The last time Liverpool put five past the Gunners in April 1964 they went on to win the title. Rodgers was quick to suggest that history wouldn’t be repeating itself despite the glow of this fulsome victory.

He said: ‘‘You have to look at other teams around us (for the title). This was a wonderful performance, really outstanding. It’s a young side with a wonderful appetite for the game and a willingness to learn.’’

Liverpool vs Arsenal Match Stats

LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Mignolet 7: Flanagan 8, Skrtel 9, Toure 8, Cissokho 7: Gerrard 8 (Ibe 76mins 6), Henderson 8: Sturridge 8 (Allen 66mins 6), Coutinho 8, Sterling 9: Suarez 9 (Aspas 86mins)

Unused: Jones, Luis Alberto, Moses, Kelly

Goals: Skrtel (1, 10), Sterling (15, 52), Sturridge (20), Arteta (69 pen)

Booked: Henderson

ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Szczesny 4: Sagna 4, Mertesacker 4, Koiscielny 4, Monreal 3 (Gibbs 61mins); Arteta 5, Wilshere 4: Oxlade-Chamberlain 6, Ozil 3 (Rosicky 60mins 6), Cazorla 3: Giroud 4 (Podolski 60mins 5)

Unused: Fabianski, Bendtner, Jenkinson, Gnabry

Booked: Henderson, Giroud, Wilshere

Attendance: 44,701

Referee: M Oliver 8

Man of the Match: Raheem Sterling

Liverpool 5 Arsenal 1 Match Video

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Chelsea 3 Newcastle United 0:That is absolutely Special ones Chelsea

The young Belgian, hailed by Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho as ‘the best young player in the world’, lit up Stamford Bridge with his 12th, 13th and 14th league goals of the season.

Newcastle looked like a team missing Yohan Cabaye, and were lucky they only conceded the three.

Alan Pardew’s men have struggled since losing the influential Frenchman to PSG, and Chelsea took full advantage.

Hazard’s first goal was a terrific shot from 15 yards out after a brief interchange of passes with Branislav Ivanovic.

The second came from a brilliant team pass-and-move manoeuvre that saw Hazard add the finishing touches.

Chelsea’s midfield were relentless for the whole game and gave Newcastle no time to breathe.

Nemanja Matic picked up where he left off against Manchester City, while the dynamic Willian terrorised Newcastle’s panic-stricken fullbacks.

Hazard bagged his third from the penalty-spot after Samuel Eto’o was dragged to the ground.

Hazard continued to play like a footballer at the top of his game as Chelsea saw out the match with ease.

The result sees Jose Mourinho’s men leapfrog Man City and Arsenal, who lost 5-1 to Liverpool at Anfield earlier in the day, and move into pole position.

Chelsea vs Newcastle United Match Stats

Chelsea: Cech 6, Ivanovic 7, Cahill  7 Luiz 7 Azpilicueta 7, Matic 7, Lampard 7, Willian 7 (Salah 78) Oscar 7, Hazard 9 (Schurrle 84), Eto’o 8 (Ba 71).

Subs not used: Cole, Ramires, Mikel, Schwarzer.

Goals: Hazard 27, 34, 63.

Newcastle: Krul 5, Debuchy 5 (Yanga-Mbiwa 40, 5) Williamson 5, Steven Taylor 5, Dummett 5, Anita 6 (Marveaux 84), Santon 5, Ben Arfa 5 (Gosling 64), Sissoko 5, Sammy Ameobi 5, De Jong 4.

Subs not used: Haidara, Elliot, Shola Ameobi, Armstrong.

Booked: Yanga-Mbiwa, Sammy Ameobi, Sissoko.

Man of the match: Eden Hazard

Ref: Howard Webb 6.

Att: 41,387.

Chelsea 3 Newcastle 0 Match Video

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Swansea City 3 Cardiff City 0: Swans Prince Of Wales

Swansea City is a club where they mean what they say when they talk about ideals and philosophies. There could have been no more epic setting for Garry Monk to resurrect them than in the howling wind and rain of a South Wales derby.

Even then, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the last man on the pitch at the Liberty Stadium, trudging across the sodden grass to applaud the travelling Cardiff City supporters whose team had been comprehensively outplayed and then stripped apart in a second-half demolition.

He left recalling that while he was a Manchester United player, the demand was for victory in every game. It is the same in the dug-out now, only for reasons of survival, with a critical home game against Aston Villa looming tomorrow and the thought of it promising a sleepless night beforehand.

The uplifting of the city on the River Tawe by its football team in the wake of the sacking of Michael Laudrup was a rare and profound experience. The engaging, wise-cracking Monk, 10 years a player at the heart of Swansea’s defence and their captain in all four divisions, handed his players a film before this game detailing the club’s proud but turbulent history.

This was one of those memorable days which will feature prominently in any future editions of the story. It wasn’t just that Swansea won so completely but that they re-tuned with such vigour and determination to the style of energetic, crisp, brave passing football which has been the trademark of their decade-long climb from the game’s rubble pile.

That is what made this feel like a resurrection more than just a simple recovery from a run of just one win 10 Premier League games.

The chairman who has overseen the whole remarkable transformation, Huw Jenkins, spoke in his programme notes of how he detected “an erosion” of the club’s principles which forced him with a heavy heart to bring Laudrup’s tenure to an end.

When the 34-year-old Monk talked afterwards of how critical it was to repay Jenkins and the board for taking the decision in the week of one of the most highly-charged derbies in the British game, it offered an insight into the spirit which has made Swansea unique.

“I’ve been here for 10 years and I know exactly what this club stands for,” Monk said. “The chairman is brilliant. As much as this win was for the fans, it was for the board as well. They put a lot of trust in, changing things when they did. I’m sure they were pretty worried about this game after doing it in such a high-profile week.

“They thought that at this particular time, they needed someone to take over who cares about the club, who understands it and what it stands for. I made sure the players know that too.”

As easily as he told about these big themes, Monk does a nice line in self-deprecating humour too.

“I went from having a cushy job training two or three hours a day to full-blown management and I haven’t slept for four days,” he added.

How did he prepare at home beforehand for his new role? “I played with my daughter. My missus is walking around looking like a penguin because she is pregnant with twins. So I just did the usual things. I took the bin out and cleared out the garage, because she was moaning about it.”

Meanwhile, supportive texts were arriving from his former managers at Swansea, Roberto Martinez and Brendan Rodgers.

“And from the fans as well,” Monk added. “Oh my god, the Swansea City fans. I’ve been inundated. I can’t them enough.

“The biggest thanks, though is to the players. They were magnificent. They worked so hard.”

Solskjaer may be new tot he area but, like Monk, he knows already what this means.

“There is nothing worse than losing to Swansea,” he said. “The players should taste the bitterness of this defeat. But there will be a response against Aston Villa.”

Of course, Monk wants the Swansea job permanently. He loves the club with all his heart. There was no night out in rumbustious Wind Street this time though. He was off back to his new office to begin preparing to face Stoke on Wednesday.

Napoli and Benitez arrive in the Europa League on Thursday week. There is potential for a lot more football romance in this story yet.

Swansea City vs Cardiff City Match Stats

Swansea (4-2-3-1): Vorm 6, Rangel 6, Flores 7, Williams 8, Davies 6, Britton 7, De Guzman 5 (Canas 68, 6), Emnes 7 (Hernadez 46, 7), Dyer 8 (Taylor 88), Routledge 8, Bony 7

Subs not used: Amat, Lamah, Tremmel, Ngog.

Booked: Hernandez.

Goals: Routledge 47, Dyer 79, Bony 85

Cardiff (4-4-1-1): Marshall 6, Fabio 5 (McNaughton 69, 6), Caulker 6, Turner 5, John 6, Kim 6, Medel 7, Whittingham 6, Zaha 5 (Mutch 77), Bellamy 7, Jones 5 (Campbell 56, 6).

Subs not used: Noone, Torres Ruiz, Daehli, Lewis.

Booked: Mutch.

Man of the Match: Nathan Dyer.

Ref: Andre Marriner.

Att: 20,402

Swansea City 3 Cradiff City 0 Match Video

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English Premier League Match Week 25 Results

Saturday, 8 February

Liverpool 5 Arsenal 1

Norwich City 0 Man City 0

Sunderland 0 Hull City 2

Southampton 2 Stoke City 2

Crystal Palace 3 West Brom 1

Chelsea 3 Newcastle 0

Aston Villa 0 West Ham 2

Swansea City 3 Cardiff City 0

Sunday, 9 February

Tottenham 1 Everton 0

Man United 2 Fulham 2

Barclays Premier League Match Week 25 Table

 

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