Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp felt becoming more compact enabled his side to come back from two down to draw 2-2 with Arsenal at Anfield.
Goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus put Arsenal in control but Mohamed Salah pulled a goal back and Roberto Firminho netted a late equaliser.
Speaking at his post-match press conference, Klopp said: “I understand the threat they are on the wings with Saka and Martinelli speed-wise. It doesn’t feel massively comfortable but we have to do it anyway.
“When we started getting more compact – line higher, midfield closer, front three together – at that moment it was not as easy (for Arsenal) anymore.
“The moment we got that we were better in the game.”
Many felt the turning point was a clash between Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold in the first half.
It riled the home crowd and sparked Klopp’s side into life when they had been very much second best.
Liverpool pulled a goal back shortly afterwards and pundit Jamie Carragher afterwards described Xhaka’s actions as “absolutely idiotic” as the incident seemed to alter the course of the game.
But Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said: “I don’t know if that’s the case.
“We had a big chance after that and if we score and it’s 3-0 then maybe the crowd doesn’t get too excited.
“After that, they scored a goal and that changes the momentum. But we still have to come out in the second half and play more.
“The lesson is to stick to what we’ve done in the first half. That’s the way we have to continue to play and if we do that we will win a lot of games.”
The result left Premier League leaders Arsenal six rather than eight points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand and currently have a superior goal difference.
Arteta admitted that his players saw the outcome as two points dropped rather than a point gained.
“When you concede at the end, always dropped two points,” he said.
“But being fair, Liverpool had four big chances they could have scored from and they missed a penalty.”
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