LuisDiaz had a head start as he raced onto Jordan Henderson's pass William Saliba sprinted back in pursuit, muscling the winger off the ball and winning a goal kick for the home side.
Gary said that he does so well there. It looks like he can cut back across the centre-back, but he isn't interested. Strength and pace come together.
It came at a crucial point in Sunday's game at the Emirates Stadium, barely a minute after Darwin Nunez had scored a goal for the Reds, and it was the one that gave the home side the lead.
The overall performance was not up to par. The 21-year-old showed his relative inexperience when he lost Roberto Firmino at the start of the second half.
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The recovery run to deny Diaz was just one example of how his introduction to the team has helped transform them into top-four outsiders.
There are many things to like about Saliba. The crowd was delighted by his composure on the ball. His stature was also included. The pace at which he was able to catch him on Sunday is one of his best qualities.
In that game, the centre-back recorded a top speed of 34.5 kilometres per hour, putting him 25th in the league this season and second in his position.
With his speed, Mikel Arteta was given the security he needed to realise his long-held vision for the club by pushing their defensive line higher.
Their start distance, a metric which shows how far up the field a team begins their passing sequence, has increased by almost three metres, taking them from 12th to second in the league.
It is an approach which has been employed to devastating effect in recent years by Manchester City, where Arteta learned his trade as a member of the coaching staff, and it is also the approach which has been employed to devastating effect by the Reds.
The idea is to squeeze opponents, increase compactness, and facilitate high pressing in order to ensure territorial dominance.
The numbers show that the effectiveness of their pressing has increased.
With Gabriel Jesus leading the line, Arteta's side are winning possession more often than in the last two seasons. The two teams that have forced the most high turnovers areLeicester andNewcastle.
The distance between the two teams has decreased. The space available to opponents is the same as it is for opponents. There are benefits at the other end of the pitch as well.
It was the second-highest total by any side in a single game all season when they were caught in the middle of a goalmouth scramble.
In terms of the number of times they've been caught in the act this season, it's second only to Cottagers, with 22 caught, putting their average at 2.4 per game compared to 1.7 per game last season.
It is a high risk strategy.
In the first half of the game on Sunday, Saliba was able to recover after the first half ended, but not after the second half began.
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In the north London derby, Spurs' leveller came in the same situation as Manchester United's, where they exploited the high line.
Arteta's desire to control games by pinning opponents back in their own half was one of the reasons for the increased risk.
"We have to make 300,000 passes in the opponent's half if we want to win the game," he said after a ragged 3-2 win overWatford in March. We did not do that." It felt like it was open until the end.
Arteta's side found themselves ceding the initiative and clinging on, introducing Rob Holding from the bench and hoping for the best.
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Their progress was underscored by Sunday's win over the Reds.
Firmino scored his second and third goals in the seventh and ninth minutes of the second half to give the Reds a 2-0 lead. By the end of the season, the Reds had only 19 touches in the box and eight attempts on goal, their lowest total of the year.
Instead of sinking back into their own half, as they did atWatford last season, they kept their opponent at arm's length and have faced almost every side they have faced recently.
Only Manchester City have allowed their opponents less shots in the premier league this season.
The ball is being used to defend by the team.
Their share of possession has gone up from 53 percent to 57 percent, and where they are playing has gone up as well. In the opposition half, they make more passes and less in their own. The focus has changed.
An important role has been played by Saliba.
He's ninth in the league for forward passes and sixth for successful passes. He drives up the field when he isn't picking out teammates. Joao Cancelo and Ruben Dias have carried the ball more than any other player.
It helps that the attackers have been able to take advantage of the territorial dominance the higher defensive line gives them.
Jesus, Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, supported by Granit Xhaka, another beneficiary of the higher line, have formed a deadly front trio.
It's the latest side to find that out, and it's done byLiverpool.
The numbers for shots, goals scored and expected goals have all increased significantly on last season, placing them firmly among the premier league's elite.
It is the result of careful squad building, years of gradual progress, and the introduction of a player in Saliba who has accelerated their evolution and allowed them to move higher up the table.
You can watch the match on Sky Sports' digital platforms from 12pm on Sunday.
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