Watch Liverpool vs Arsenal on Monday Night Football from 7.45pm on September 28; Kick-off at 8pm
Monday 28 September 2020 20:07, UK
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson says Liverpool are "back on the right path" after "dropping" their record-breaking level from before the coronavirus pandemic.
Prior to the March lockdown, Liverpool had dropped only five points all season and had been unbeaten until February 29, when Watford stunned Jurgen Klopp's men with a 3-0 win at Vicarage Road.
However, when the Premier League season resumed in June, the Reds went on to collect 17 points from their final nine games, fewer than both Manchester teams, as well as Tottenham, Chelsea and Southampton.
But after an opening-day win - if a nervy one - against Leeds, Liverpool were more comfortable in their 2-0 victory at Chelsea on Sunday; and in the process picked up a first league clean sheet in seven games, since they beat Aston Villa at Anfield in early July.
Klopp refused to acknowledge Liverpool's form had dropped at times at the back end of last season - but goalkeeper Alisson, speaking ahead of their home game with Arsenal, live on Monday Night Football from 7.45pm (kick-off at 8pm), admitted he was left feeling they needed to get back to their best after dropping from a rate of consistency which had turned heads across the league for much of the campaign.
"We know that we dropped a little bit, we don't know why," he said. "It wasn't something we wanted to do but we knew we had to go back to our path if we want to be competitive this season for the title, because I believe this season the level is higher.
"It is just the beginning of the season, we had a difficult game against Leeds, it was an open game where anything can happen. It was 4-3 and a good game for anyone who is watching football, but a really hard game to play.
"Then you have Chelsea away and it's a tough opponent and then the way we went to the pitch from the mental perspective, I really liked this. I like the intensity of the game, I like the way we defended also, the opponent had some opportunities to score but it was from the quality of the opponent. But what I like was our mentality on that game. I think we are on the right path again."
Arsenal were one of two teams to beat Liverpool in the final nine games of last season - before doing likewise in the Community Shield last month at Wembley.
Mikel Arteta has drawn plaudits for his transformation of the Gunners' style, leading them to FA Cup glory in the process last season, and has impressed Alisson with the manner with which, in his first role managing a team, he has gone about his business.
However, with the Brazilian now believing Liverpool are back on the right track, he feels it could be a case of third-time lucky for the Reds, as they look to rectify a disappointing fledgling record against Arsenal under Arteta.
He said: "With their quality, I believe they have a really good team on paper and they are putting out the things on the pitch. You can see they are playing together, really well organised in the defensive phase and they have fantastic strikers with really good quality who can take decisive decisions on the pitch.
"But also, I believe now with more games played, our team will do better against them. Also back with the clean sheets, it is something mental that gives you the confidence to keep on going and I believe it will be a really good match."
