Liverpool Reserves and Kids Too Hot To Handle

Boom!

I wasn’t going to write a post-match piece, but after a 2-0 win against a more familiar, older Arsenal XI who were at home was so enjoyable that it’s worth celebrating.

(Also, the title of the post-match article normally doesn’t reflect the result as people complain if they’re on the other side of the world and have recorded the game, but on this occasion, as it’s not the usual bumper roundup, I’ll make an exception. Sorry!)

The Reds started with no outfield players over the age of 26, and the average age was 23.6 for the outfield players and 21.5 for the subs.

Arsenal’s outfield ten averaged 24.8, and the subs were over three years older than the Reds’. Eleven of the 18 oldest players to feature were in the home white kit with no readable numbers on the back, which presumably made it easier to not book them.

No Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, Virgil van Dijk, Joël Matip, Andy Robertson, Wataru Endo, Kostas Tsimikas, Ben Doak, Stefan Bajcetic and Thiago Alcantara – no problem.

(Owen Beck, recalled from loan, had a bizarre suspension.)

The Reds even managed to hit the woodwork twice, to Arsenal's once, even if the home side had the better of the first half.

The officiating gave Arsenal an extra man, too. Martin Ødegaard was allowed to go ballistic at the linesman and then later shout at the ref, and John Brooks, the most officious referee of all, was fine. Harvey Elliott, in between, waved a hand in dissent - yellow card.

Earlier, Jorginho pulled back Cody Gakpo with a cynical and extended shirt tug, then yelled ‘fuck off’ to the ultra-strict ref, who was so offended by Virgil van Dijk’s language the skipper got an extra game’s ban. Today he was fine with it when it was from the home team #homer

The worst outcome would have been a draw and another game when the winter break awaits.

After a one-sided first half, the Reds, in purple, had by far the better of the second half, and despite missing almost all of the older leaders, came away with a famous 2-0 win.

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