Unai Emery will take heart from an Arsenal performance that showed plenty of defiance in the wider context of the mood around the club at present.
But the Achilles heel that helped create it ultimately proved their undoing again.
Granit Xhaka would not have been put in the position to react to his substitution against Crystal Palace as he did had the Gunners first not blown a 2-0 lead last weekend. Here, they twice led by a two-goal margin, but somehow ended up on the losing side against Liverpool.
Hanging on for a notable victory — even if both teams made 11 changes from their previous outing — would have been a useful shot in the arm for Emery ahead of Saturday’s return to Emirates Stadium and what feels like another 90-minute public appraisal of his management.
Still, the Gunners have had plenty of miserable away days in recent years but this wasn’t one of them.
The sight of 6,000 visiting fans standing in unison at full-time was recognition of the fight they showed, especially after conceding Shkodran Mustafi’s comical own-goal with just six minutes played.
It would have been easy for the Gunners to capitulate given the past few days of recriminations and introspection with Xhaka and several players said to be shocked by the events of last weekend.
Adam Lallana was operating as a midfield anchor and somehow Arsenal were losing the opening exchanges yet they sprang into life, the catalyst for which came through Gabriel Martinelli’s pressing and Mesut Ozil’s quiet efficiency.
Lucas Torreira turned home the rebound after Bukayo Saka’s 19th-minute shot was saved, but the moment of quality came in Ozil’s pass to Saka seconds before. After Martinelli fired his side in front, Liverpool lost the ball, but Ozil’s flick to Saka enabled the Gunners to capitalise as Martinelli scored again.
James Milner’s penalty brought Liverpool to within one at the break, but another error was exposed with devastating finesse, Ozil back-flicking the ball with sufficient pace to ensure Ainsley Maitland-Niles had a tap-in.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (below), Divock Origi and Joe Willock were then in the midst of forming their own goal of the month competition when Ozil was withdrawn with 25 minutes remaining.
It was apparently pre-planned and the 31-year-old could be forgiven for a little fatigue having been out for six weeks, but taking him off after a display like this can only be fully justified if he plays some part against Wolves on Saturday.
There is no guarantee Emery will use him, however. Much more predictable is the fragility Arsenal showed at the back, allowing Origi to squeeze home a fifth goal in stoppage time.
Dani Ceballos missed from 12 yards, but the game should never have gone to a shoot-out.
To be 3-1, 4-2 and 5-4 up only to lose is further evidence of the imbalanced performances Emery is presiding over.
The Gunners cannot continue to defend like this and expect to silence questions about Emery’s long-term suitability for the job.
But there was clearly a hunger to prove people wrong and the desire to respond to questions about their character were encouraging. They will need to show this again at the Emirates Stadium this weekend. However, it must almost certainly be accompanied by a better defensive display than this.
