Arsenal summer signing Willian accused of ‘disappearing’ against Liverpool by Frank LeBouef

Former Chelsea star Frank Lebouef believes Arsenal were architects of their own downfall against Liverpool on Monday as Mikel Arteta’s side surrendered their 100% start to the new season.

The Gunners fortuitously took the lead at Anfield through Alexandre Lacazette, but the Premier League champions turned the match on its head before half-time courtesy of goals from Sadio Mane and Andrew Robertson.

Arsenal have improved as a defensive unit under Arteta and shocked Jurgen Klopp’s side at the Emirates towards the end of last season while they also took the spoils following a penalty shootout win in last month’s Community Shield.

But the visitors were largely overwhelmed at Anfield last night, however, with Klopp’s relentless juggernaut pressing the life out of Arsenal and carving out numerous goalscoring opportunities.

Lebouef, however, felt Arsenal should have done better to prevent Robertson from scoring at the far post 10 minutes before the breaj, with summer signing Willian particularly culpable having failed to track the full-back’s trademark run.

‘They can have regrets because they didn’t do what they had to do and that was my concern about Willian,’ the former France World Cup winner told ESPN. ‘I’m going to point the problem on him.

‘I think he touched the ball eight times in the first half and he was the guy who didn’t follow Robertson from the cross for Alexander-Arnold. And we all know around the world when Alexander-Arnold has the ball Robertson goes for the second ball at the far post and you should be there.

‘That was the problem when he was playing fro Chelsea he could be the best player in the world and then disappear completely and not doing his defensive part of the job.’

He added: ‘In the defence with the crazy suicide passes that they made in the six-yard box from Leno to David Luiz and Holding where everyone starts sweating, just to take that risk.

‘I don’t know why Ceballos was on the bench, he has technique and finally gave good balls, the one he gave to Lacazette and some others. So there were some mistakes that they could correct and they didn’t, but they have to change to some stuff because it’s not the way that I see Arsenal playing.’