Liverpool Twitter is feeling pretty smug after the Arsenal game

Liverpool Twitter is feeling pretty smug right now after watching Nicolas Pepe struggle to influence Arsenal’s attack as they drew with Manchester United.

The Reds flirted with Pepe all summer long until they decided that his asking price was simply too high. The Gunners bit and they bit hard as they eventually signed the Lille man for £73 million.

But the 24-year-old has flattered to deceive since making the Premier League switch, and that left Liverpool Twitter in a state of extreme smugness.

His only goal so far came via a penalty, while Pepe’s only other contribution has been an assist. Everyone could see that he wasn’t right for the Reds as he wouldn’t get the regular football he would want.

And bless him, the Ivory Coast international had a rough go of it on Monday night at Old Trafford. Sky Sports gave him a 4/10 and wrote he had ‘little impact and poor delivery’, while The Guardian were only slightly kinder and awarded Pepe a 5/10. The Daily Mail agreed and added that the Ivornian was guilty of ‘wasting two good chances’.

If he had joined Jurgen Klopp’s mentality monsters then the chances are Pepe would have been introduced to the Premier League at a far slower pace and not until he understood his role perfectly.

The Gunners seem to have less structure around the side and maybe that’s having a negative impact on how their big money man adjusts to the top flight. It’s also a big jump from Ligue 1 to England, and even the greats have found the first few months tricky.

But that hasn’t stopped Liverpool fans from feeling like they got this one right and raising a metaphorical finger at everyone who moaned that the club weren’t spending enough money during the transfer window.

The Reds take on Salzburg in the Champions League on Wednesday night and need to win to get their European defense back on track.