Reinvention of Ainsley Maitland-Niles symbolic of Mikel Arteta's Arsenal

Beating Liverpool for second time in as many months suggests Spanish manager has knack for conjuring more from players that seemed possible

ARSENAL RATINGS: Emiliano Martinez – 7, Stood up well to win a one-on-one with Sadio Mane to keep Arsenal ahead, and stopped the same player late on, too. AFP

Hector Bellerin – 6, He made an important block from a Andy Robertson cross in the first half, and just about survived the Scot’s frequent raids down his flank. AFP

David Luiz – 6, Often lax in possession, occasionally out of position, and generally appeared to earn little confidence from those around him. Struck his spot kick well, though. AFP

Rob Holding – 6, Perhaps no surprise that Sane would beat him in a foot race. The fact he did so in the air, too, might be cause for concern. AFP

Kieran Tierney – 7, Maybe not quite the impact of his compatriot Robertson on the other side of the field, but impressive enough. Reuters

Ainsley Maitland-Niles – 8, Diligent in defence to stub out a number of Liverpool attacks, particularly when Mane was breaking. Coolness personified for his penalty. A decent way to celebrate his 23rd birthday. EPA

Mohamed Elneny – 6, Maybe surprising he is back in the Arsenal line up, but, whatever the future holds, he was happy to dig in for the team here. Reuters

Granit Xhaka – 6, Did an adequate enough job blunting Liverpool’s midfield, even if he offered little progressive. EPA

Bukayo Saka – 8, His crossfield pass freed Aubameyang for the opener, and he forged more openings for teammates in a bright first half display. AFP

Eddie Nketiah – 5, Blazed a good shooting chance over, and later suffered some rough treatment from Milner and Keita. Reuters

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 7, Arrowed in a fine finish for his 12th minute goal, and the winning penalty was unstoppable. EPA

SUBS: Cedric (Bellerin, 52') – 5, Struggled when he came on, with a foul on Minamino and unable to clear for the equaliser, but he did his bit in the shoot out. Reuters

Joe Willock (Saka 82') – 5, Wasted a golden chance to win the game for the London side when he headed wide when unmarked. Reuters

Reiss Nelson (Nketiah 82') – 6, Little chance to impress in normal time, but confidently dispatched his penalty. EPA

Sead Kolasinac (Tierney 83') – NA, All he had time for was to get fouled, but at least he earned an appearance fee. Reuters

LIVERPOOL RATINGS: Alisson Becker – 6, Underemployed during the 90 minutes, other than a test at a corner, but did not get near any of Arsenal’s shots in the shoot out. EPA

Neco Williams – 5, The highly regarded young right-back was found out of position on occasion, which allowed Aubameyang to roam. AFP

Joe Gomez – 7, Had little to bother him after starting at centre-back, but was unable to provide much impetus when he was moved to right-back. EPA

Virgil van Dijk – 6, Had the ball in the net early on, but his goal was chalked off for offside at a free kick. Rusty in possession on occasion. EPA

Andy Robertson – 8, The most dynamic force on either side in the first half. Rained in crosses throughout, which Arsenal had to be at their best to repel. AFP

Fabinho – 6, Looked untroubled both when holding the midfield, or when he dropped back to centre-back in second phase, and netted his spot kick. EPA

James Milner – 5, The veteran wasted a good heading chance early in the piece. His second-half booking felt like it was a long-time in the making. EPA

Georginio Wijnaldum – 7, Tireless. Even raced off the field when subbed in injury time – no doubt delighted he had been spared the prospect of penalties. Reuters

Mohamed Salah – 6, Quiet, other than one exquisite pass to create a crossing chance for Robertson in the first half, and similar in the second. Made no mistake with his penalty. AFP

Sadio Mane – 7, The brightest of Liverpool’s front three. He spurned a good heading chance from an appetising Robertson cross early on. EPA

Roberto Firmino – 6, Remains goal shy, although he did go close with a shot from range in the second half. Looked brighter than he did at the end of last season. AFP

SUBS: Naby Keita (Milner 59') – 6, Hustled and bustled when he came on for Milner, without making any appreciable inroads. Reuters

Takumi Minamino (Williams 59') – 7, Looked eager to make an impact when he came on – and he did. Had a shot from range that did not trouble Martinez, then scored Liverpool’s leveller. AFP

Curtis Jones (Firmino 82') – NA, Had enough time to make a break down the right flank near the end, but opted against crossing when he had the chance. Scored his penalty. Reuters

Rhian Brewster (Wijnaldum 90+2') – NA, Brought on in injury time with penalties in mind, but crashed his shot over via the crossbar. AFP

There were about 90 minutes between Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ nonchalant penalty and the announcement of his first England call-up.

Ninety minutes can be transformative: just ask Arsenal, whose last two competitive matches have brought silverware.

In itself, the Community Shield does not necessarily set Mikel Arteta on a path to greatness but overcoming Liverpool for the second time in as many months, and only a week after returning to training, reinforced the impression a youthful manager could be something special.

Maitland-Niles feels emblematic. “My heart is in this club,” he declared after winning the man-of-the-match award. Yet it could prove a valedictory display for the subject of a bid from Wolves last week.

Arsenal’s finances are a balancing act, and it may yet be that Maitland-Niles is sacrificed to fund someone else’s signing.

Stability is often a prerequisite for success but Arsenal are flourishing amid uncertainty.

Rob Holding could be loaned to Newcastle but an unheralded performer defended doggedly.

Aston Villa are interested in Emiliano Martinez, but the long-serving understudy made terrific saves from Sadio Mane. His selection ahead of a fit-again Bernd Leno suggested Arteta runs a meritocracy.

The performances of a trio whose futures are shrouded in speculation showed the Spaniard is able to get his players to focus on the task in hand.

Maitland-Niles shows how Arteta has been both pragmatic and resourceful.

His displays in the FA Cup semi-final and final plus the Community Shield have been so influential that they can obscure the reality he has made a solitary league start since January.

He has been afforded a second chance by a manager who had demoted him and he is grasping it.

Arteta has made final decisions about Mesut Ozil and Matteo Guendouzi, each predictably conspicuous by his absence at Wembley, but he has recalled and rehabilitated others.

Arteta’s prowess with flawed players, whether Granit Xhaka or David Luiz, promises to bring progress.

But Maitland-Niles also reflects a capacity for inventive thinking. He had been a reluctant right-back when Hector Bellerin was injured, open in his preference for a central midfield berth.

Arteta has reinvented him as a left wing-back and if his running power in attack was a key part of the gameplan against Chelsea in the FA Cup final, his recovery pace in defence helped frustrate Liverpool.

It is unlikely Gareth Southgate, with his wealth of options in the middle of the pitch, would have chosen Maitland-Niles there. By recasting him, Arteta may have made him an international. It feels a case of a manager showing he knows best.

That versatility is probably part of his appeal to Nuno Espirito Santo, given the importance of wing-backs in Wolves’ system.

If Maitland-Niles has transformed perceptions of himself, from fringe figure to mainstay, at Arsenal, Arteta has alternative options at wing-back, in the more attacking Bukayo Saka and the more defensive Kieran Tierney, once he integrates arrivals.

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Community Shield player ratings

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Liverpool were defeated without recourse to newcomers. William Saliba remained on the bench; Willian did not even make it.

Factor in the impending signing of Gabriel Magalhaes and Holding, a stalwart of four trophy wins at Wembley, could be surplus to requirements. Saliba and Magalhaes should prove higher-calibre centre-backs.

The nature of transition is such that upgrades are sought even while improvement comes with existing personnel.

But coaching and results create value and competition alike. Martinez was a serial loanee. Leno’s June knee injury presented an opportunity and Martinez has given Arteta a decision about who represents the first choice.

He recorded the highest save ratio, at 81 percent, of any goalkeeper to make more than one stop in last season’s Premier League.

If that poses the question if he is as good as the last two months indicate, part of management entails conjuring more from players that seemed possible. It is an area where Arteta has excelled.

His longer-term prospects depend in part on if the excellence of the unlikely lads is sustainable, but also on assembling a core of blue-chip performers.

It is why the most pertinent news on Saturday may have been Arteta’s statement that he was “very positive” Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will sign a new contract, just as the most encouraging comment could have been the captain’s when he said: “It’s a really exciting time to be at this club.”