Coutinho fires Liverpool to thrilling Arsenal win

AFP: Philippe Coutinho’s double inspired Liverpool to come from behind and beat Arsenal 4-3 in an action-packed clash of Premier League heavyweights at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

After seeing a penalty saved by Simon Mignolet, Theo Walcott put Arsenal ahead, only for Coutinho to reply with a picture-perfect free-kick in first-half injury time.

Goals early in the second half from Adam Lallana, Coutinho and Sadio Mane put JurgenKlopp’s Liverpool 4-1 up, but efforts from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Calum Chambers made for a nervy finish.

It was only Liverpool’s second win at Arsenal in 21 attempts and put an early dent in Arsene Wenger’s hopes of leading the London club to a first league title since 2004.

The Frenchman, who celebrates his 20th anniversary as Arsenal manager in October, has now seen his team beaten at home in their opening league game three times in four years.

Klopp, starting his first full season as Liverpool manager, celebrated each of the visitors’ goals with trademark abandon, but blamed his reaction to Mane’s goal for the way his side eased off at the end.

Injuries to Per Mertesacker and Gabriel, plus Laurent Koscielny’s lack of match fitness, obliged Wenger to deploy 21-year-old Chambers and 20-year-old new boy Rob Holding at centre-back.

Liverpool, meanwhile, boasted some 63 million pounds ($81.5 million, 73 million euros) of new players in Mane, GeorginioWijnaldum and RagnarKlavan.