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Arsenal were hammered 4-0 by Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday
Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Daniel Sturridge netted
Alexandre Lacazette started on bench and Hector Bellerin played down left
Inexperienced defender Rob Holding was thrown to the wolves at Anfield
Boss Arsene Wenger left his back five exposed with little midfield protection

By Martin Keown

Published: 17:32 EDT, 27 August 2017 | Updated: 20:00 EDT, 27 August 2017

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I'm struggling to remember a worse Arsenal performance than this. It was humiliating.

There are players who look as if they don't want to be there — and a manager who looks like he has lost his way.

It does not seem like Arsene Wenger is making rational decisions. Why did he leave Alexandre Lacazette — his club-record, £53million signing — on the bench for such an important match? Surely it made sense to play him at a ground where Arsenal have not won for five years.

Arsene Wenger watched his side fall flat against a far superior Liverpool side on Sunday

The Frenchman shouts instructions to his under-fire players during Sunday's humiliating loss

Why was Hector Bellerin deployed at left wing-back when Sead Kolasinac, a naturally left-sided player, was available? Kolasinac has been a rare shining light in Arsenal's poor start.

And why sell Gabriel who, in my view, was Arsenal's best pound-for-pound defender after Laurent Koscielny?

It meant the inexperienced Rob Holding — who only came into the side in April — was thrown to the wolves. Liverpool had too much pace and know-how in Sadio Mane and Mo Salah.

Wenger left his back five exposed with little midfield protection. There was no balance. Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka were both given licence to attack but they left the back door open.

Contrast this with Liverpool, who had Jordan Henderson sitting with Georginio Wijnaldum and Emre Can taking it in turns to get forward.

Out of possession, Arsenal looked lost to an extent that I cannot remember seeing under Wenger.

Arsenal were humiliated on Sunday as they were beaten 4-0 by Liverpool at Anfield

Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez started the match but was substituted shortly into the second half

Of course the players must take some responsibility but the manager has to give them a platform from which they can play. Wenger was as culpable as the players for this debacle.

There must be a part of Wenger that is questioning why he decided to stay but he will not walk away now. He has been in difficult situations before and will know that now is not the time to panic.

During the international break, Wenger must simplify his decision-making and work out who are the 11 players he can completely trust to get Arsenal out of this mess.

What is certain is that this will be the loneliest week of Wenger's life.

Liverpool tore Arsenal apart in the first and second half as the Gunners failed to cope

The inexperienced Rob Holding — who only came into side in April — was thrown to the wolves

WHAT THE TV EXPERTS SAID ABOUT THE ARSENAL SHAMBLES AT ANFIELD

GARY NEVILLE

'No respect for the shirt'

It's a well-told story that I'm not a Liverpool fan but this Arsenal team deserve a battering.

Liverpool are brilliant going forward but how can you play like this in a big game for so many of Arsenal's players? Forget not turning up, forget not playing well but just the general attitude or lack of respect for the shirt from three or four of them in not running back and not bothering is disgraceful.

It's a great club… I came here quite composed today and I'm actually fuming and angry and I don't know how they (the travelling Arsenal supporters) feel.

The positives are there's six days left in the transfer window so he can try and get rid of as many of these as he can. I'd honestly stick them all up on the transfer list. There aren't many of them that would get a better club than where they are at.

Arsenal have players who don't (run back) and that's disgraceful. Players are walking, ambling and not showing any urgency and it's not good enough.

I'm sat up here in the gantry about an hour ago before kick-off and see West Brom sprint back and get in that shape and then we take for granted that teams of this ilk do that. A great team like Atletico Madrid do but an average Arsenal don't.

JAMIE CARRAGHER

'Only word is cowards'

After the first goal: That's Aaron Ramsey not even looking at the ball.

Arsenal lose the ball through Xhaka and there you've got it.

Look at the space between the two midfield players, away from home, big game, Ramsey not even watching the ball — talk about a lack of discipline. Still not watching the ball, completely out of the game! This Arsenal midfield has been nothing short of embarrassing early on.

With a back three you'd expect an Arsenal defender to put his head on it but no, the same old problems.

Back four, back three, no one in there to attack the ball.

This midfield for Arsenal are absolutely shocking.

After the game: It is like watching the same movie. The board bottled it in the summer, they bottled it.

Terrified of moving the manager on, who has been a legend there. There had to be a change of manager.

Last season I called them 'cowards' (at Crystal Palace) and got a little bit of stick for it, people said you can't say that on TV. I'll say it again: 'Cowards!' That was worse.

GRAEME SOUNESS

'What a bunch of schoolboys'

I've officially given up on them. There was always something about Arsenal I liked. Unless they were playing against Tottenham or Liverpool, I always looked forward to watching them and hoping they'd do well.

Ozil and Sanchez were a disgrace today.

I played in central midfield. My job was to defend the two centre backs. Arsenal need proper disciplined central midfielders. How difficult is it to put that right? Roy Keane, Matic, Kante all did it. Arsenal are like a bunch of schoolboys. That first goal beggars belief.

You're watching them, 'show me something, show me you have turned the corner'. But they have taken one giant step back. That is a performance that can get the manager the sack. For professional players to be able to accept that level of performance is beyond belief.

THIERRY HENRY

'I wanted to walk out'

I wanted to leave (the stadium). I don't relate with this team.

I am not surprised. I was expecting this. Stagnation.

I knew what was going to happen today. But still when you see it you're like, no, not again! The way Arsenal lose the game is the problem. We are talking about desire, commitment. Have a go. The team I arrived into could fight. These guys? It is painful. As a fan, you try to be positive, but it's not nice to see.

Everything that you see on the day has been happening for the past 10 years.

We talk about Sanchez and is he staying, but they are not going to want to be part of this team. That is why players are not renewing their contracts, they can see something is wrong.

The word I have used for a long time — comfort. Everyone is comfortable at Arsenal. It's not the same pressure you have at a big club, that you should have. Everything is… nice. It cannot be like that.