Arsenal left Anfield with three valuable points, but Piero Hincapié also found room for a pointed dig at Virgil van Dijk on social media after the final whistle.

The defender’s three-word jab appeared to reference a post Van Dijk made in January, following a goalless meeting with Arsenal. That earlier message had drawn attention to the competition emblem, with the Liverpool captain posting while his side were still champions. The post has since been flooded with comments, many apparently from Arsenal supporters, who have continued to remind Van Dijk of it.

Van Dijk’s January caption was aimed at acknowledging the serious injury suffered by Conor Bradley in that match. He wrote: “We are a team, we are friends but most importantly we are a family,” echoing the final line of a hand-written fan letter.

Hincapié’s swipe sat awkwardly alongside a result Arsenal had every reason to celebrate on its own merits. Declan Rice played a decisive role in the winner, setting up Kai Havertz during an explosive opening spell for the visitors. Arsenal then had to absorb sustained pressure, with the hosts dominating much of the remaining 75 minutes.

Rice said the performance reflected the standards building inside the club. “For sure,” Rice agreed when this point was put to him in the postmatch mixed zone. “It’s just drilled into us. What the manager [Mikel Arteta] has built at this club and the togetherness of the lads—you don’t get that performance without the lads being all together.

“The way the manager has everything under control, the way everyone works towards everything he wants is not like anything I’ve ever seen before. So credit to us for what we have been doing for the last few years. Now it’s a massive thing to deliver again this year.”

Rice added: “We had to dig in and give it everything because they throw so many attacks at you,” Rice added. “We had to be resilient and strong. It was a great win.”

Lisandro Martínez is set for discussions with Manchester United officials in the near future, with his conduct and long-term future both expected to be on the agenda, according to a report.

The timing is significant. Martínez’s contract is due to expire at the end of the current campaign, although it does include the option for a further 12 months to be added automatically.

Fabrizio Romano has reported that November will bring talks between Martínez and United as both sides attempt to find an agreement over what happens next. Those conversations are expected to go beyond the contract alone, with his recent attitude and performances also likely to come under review.

There has already been visible tension. His tirade against Wilcox and the club’s recruitment made clear that Martínez is not entirely content with life at Old Trafford, and his red card against Chelsea has only sharpened the picture.

United now hold the key position, at least for the moment. Martínez can choose not to sign an extension, but the club still have the option to activate the clause and protect an asset who remains highly regarded, despite the recent noise around him.

The club have shown before that they are prepared to walk away from contract extensions when necessary, most recently in the case of Jadon Sancho. But the situation is different here. Martínez remains a regular in the first team and is understood to have admirers across the continent, with some of La Liga’s top sides monitoring him closely.

That makes the extension option appear the likeliest immediate step, but the longer-term outlook is far less certain. With United already planning a defensive rebuild in 2027, it is difficult to see Martínez still at Old Trafford beyond this season.

A sale will likely be explored, even if that means accepting less than market value. There is also the possibility of moving early, with a January exit considered feasible, although that would leave United short at the back unless a replacement arrives quickly.

Alf-Inge Haaland has said his son Erling remains focused on football while the wider debate around Manchester City’s legal situation continues to dominate discussion away from the pitch.

Speaking to Viaplay, the former player pushed back against comparisons being drawn between City’s case and Juventus, saying the situations should not be treated in the same way. “Well, Juventus was match-fixing and a few other things,” Alf-Inge told Viaplay as he argued the two cases should not be compared. “I think we should await the appeal process. It could happen quickly, even though there are rival supporters, clubs and, not least, journalists who are out for blood against City right now.

“So we’ll just have to wait and see what the appeal outcome says. City believe they have strong evidence to stand up and prove their innocence, so I think we wait until that decision is reached.”

The Haaland family are, for now, waiting like everyone else for the appeal process to run its course. Alf-Inge said there has been little direct communication from the club beyond what is circulating publicly.

“Nothing more than what’s in the media,” he revealed. “And there is an awful lot written there, and very one-sided, I would say, right? ”

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the club, Alf-Inge was clear that Erling is keeping his attention on the game itself. “Erling thinks about playing as much football as he can and concentrates on that,” Haaland Sr said. “I think it’s more those of us outside the pitch who think a bit more about it.”

Haaland is formally represented by Rafaela Pimenta, though his father continues to play a major role in discussions about his future. That future remains uncertain, with long-term admirers Barcelona and Real Madrid both linked, while domestic rivals Arsenal have also been mentioned as potential challengers should an opening emerge.

There have also been claims that Haaland’s contract includes a release clause for this kind of scenario, but Alf-Inge refused to address that. “I can’t comment on player contracts or Erling’s contract,” he stressed. “I can’t comment on that.”