by Carlingnet
If there were any doubts that Gerard Houllier has got his Liverpool revolution on the right road
they were dispelled by this breathtaking victory.
Robbie Fowler was the star of the show with a sensational display
which will have delighted England boss Kevin Keegan as he plans for
the Euro 2000 qualifiers next month.
Fowler, who became a father on Thursday for the first time on the day
he was named in the England squad, ended the week by celebrating in style.
He could not have picked a better way to wet the baby's head than with the eighth minute
cracker that put Liverpool on the way to their second major scalp in a week.
Last Monday they won at contenders Leeds with Fowler admitting afterwards that his form
was way short of his best.
He certainly put that right at Anfield when last season's runners-up arrived complete with
their famous veteran back four all on show with Tony Adams, Lee Dixon and Nigel
Winterburn in action.
But how those veteran defenders must have wished for a quieter afternoon than they were
given by Fowler and Co.
At times they were run ragged as Liverpool with just Fowler up front attacked them from deep
at every opportunity.
Not far behind Fowler as the star of the show was Titi Camara, who tormented Dixon on the
flanks to add another brilliant display to his performance at Leeds earlier in the week.
Arsenal started looking calm, cool and composed. But that was only until Liverpool decided
to go for the throat. The Merseysiders were given a great boost after eight minutes when
Fowler took a square pass from Patrick Berger some 40 yards out. He moved forward and
lashed a stunning drive in off the bar with Alex Manninger floundering.
It was a confidence boost that Liverpool needed. The last time they were on show at Anfield
they were an outplayed shambles against Watford. What was needed was a performance of
conviction and quality to convince their fans that they were on the right track.
And nobody can deny that that was what was served up in the sunshine.
Liverpool just got better and better with Arsenal knocked out of their stride. Their French star
Patrick Vieira was hounded at every turn by youngster Steven Gerrard and David Thompson.
By half time Fowler could have had a hat-trick. He had twice jinked into the box on solo runs
that ended with despairing Arsenal boots blocking his shot.
Jamie Redknapp also had a clutch of chances and Arsenal in the end were happy to get to
the break without conceding any more goals.
A team of Arsenal's quality and character were never going to just lie down after that and
their belligerence after the break forced Liverpool into some desperate defending of their
own.
But Liverpool on the break were still a potent force and Manninger produced a wonderful
diving save to stop a Redknapp free-kick but could only watch when Fowler, after 63
minutes, cracked another shot against the post.
Arsenal put on Davor Suker after 65 minutes in an clear attempt to wrestle the initiative from
Liverpool but they were still unable to create meaningful chances against a defence in which
Rigobert Song and Sami Hyppia were outstanding.
Just when it looked like Liverpool's frantic efforts were causing them to tire they grabbed the
goal that was to be the killer blow.
Redknapp was tripped on the edge of the box and Berger lashed the 20-yard free-kick that
took a deflection and screamed past Manninger's despairing right hand.
In such a pulsating match it was almost forgotten that Michael Owen
was sitting patiently on the bench awaiting his first senior for four and
a half months. He'll be off to join England next week and is
desperately in need of match practice but there was no way that
Houllier was going to change the pattern and formation of his team at
such a critical stage.
Only with three minutes left did Owen finally get onto the pitch in place of Camara and got a
deserved standing ovation from a packed Anfield.
But even then the drama wasn't over. In injury time Song was penalised for a trip of Fredrik
Ljungberg in the box and referee Dermot Gallagher awarded a penalty.
But Arsenal's misery was compounded when Westerveld dived to his left to save Suker's
spot kick.
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