Time for Wenger to leave after inexcusable gamble backfires

The groans in the away end echoed throughout Anfield well before Arsenal found itself two goals down at halftime en route to a decisive loss to Liverpool.

Supporters anticipating a strong team in the buildup to Saturday's critical tie with Liverpool were, instead, greeted with Arsene Wenger's curious squad selection.

Ironically, the under-fire Arsenal manager probably endeared himself to the home side when he revealed an audacious lineup with one glaring omission, Alexis Sanchez, who didn't seem bothered as he laughed it up with Lucas Perez during warmups.

It wasn't the ideal scenario heading into the encounter considering the north London side desperately needed a result in order to keep its dwindling title hopes from evaporating completely.

But fans have come to expect the unexpected from Wenger, no matter how much is on the line.

Wenger elected to deploy Olivier Giroud up front while Danny Welbeck was inserted into the starting XI of a Premier League tie for the first time this season after a prolonged spell on the sidelines with a knee injury.

The French gaffer maintained it was a tactic that would benefit Arsenal in the air and help his side overpower Liverpool's backline.

But, nine minutes after kickoff and until the final whistle sounded off, it was the Gunners who looked second best in all aspects of the match as Arsenal again failed to overcome its struggles against the Premier League's top six teams.

Celebrations erupted throughout Anfield after a complete meltdown in the middle of the park - off a Liverpool goal-kick no less - saw Sadio Mane's pass slice through four defenders before Roberto Firmino smashed in the opener.

Outside of Sanchez's exclusion, Arsenal's deep-lying midfielders were called into question when the Reds added a second goal as Francis Coquelin's lack of defensive awareness was exposed after Firmino's pass across the box found a wide open Mane who forced Petr Cech to pick the ball out of his net once again.

Coquelin's ineptitude was matched by his partner, Granit Xhaka, whose inability to provide his backline with relief was on full display as Liverpool comfortably stormed into the final third time after time.

Arsenal's poor performance, combined with Liverpool's fearless and inventive attack, prompted Wenger to finally inject some life into his squad and introduce the team's leading scorer.

Right on cue, it was Sanchez who inspired belief that three points were within reach as the Chile international's through ball saw Welbeck break into the box before delivering a clever chip to cut Arsenal's deficit just minutes after the break.

Hopes of stealing a point in the final moments were extinguished when a textbook counter-attack put Arsenal out of its misery.

The result was no more than either side deserved, as Wenger's lot slipped out of the top four after his gamble backfired.

When questioned about Sanchez's exclusion from the starting team, Wenger was reluctant to concede that his gamble was to blame, citing that the midfield was at the root of Arsenal's attacking woes in the opening 45 minutes.

"I felt the strikers suffered in the first half and we didn't dominate in the midfield," Wenger told reporters, according to BBC. "It is always debatable."

While Wenger debates the consequences of his decisions, the coming days will undoubtedly see fans and pundits alike debate the most appropriate way in which Arsenal should go about parting ways with the most successful manager in club history as the battle for fourth place is the only realistic Premier League objective remaining. Again.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)