Two oligarchs went to the Emirates on Sunday, I hear.
  Oleg Deripaska and his friend Roman.
  Were they in Kia Joorabchian’s box?
  We don’t know
 
  The Russians saw a decent first half played at a high tempo and a second half when Arsenal took control, as Liverpool collapsed into disarray.
 
  They saw that Liverpool missed Sissoko far more than Arsenal missed Rosicky.
 
  Without Sissoko, Liverpool looked lost. He is out for three months with a dislocated shoulder and his energetic ball-winning was badly missed.
 
  Arsene Wenger had his first choice back four together at last, with Eboue and Clichy attacking vibrantly, and both centrebacks scored.
 
  Cesc Fabregas is best when he’s playing the ball early and that’s how the first goal came
 
  Van Persie lost the ball, it broke for Fabregas, who swept it wide to Hleb, who came inside against Gonzalez  and slipped the ball through for Fabregas, whose low cross to the near post was stabbed in by Flamini, an awkward take. The ball went in off his trailing leg and Flamini tumbled into the keeper for 1-0 at half-time.
 
  Kolo Toure started and finished the move for the second goal in 56. He intercepted Hyypia’s pass, gave the ball to Fabregas, first time to Henry, first time back to Fabregas, then first time with his other foot to van Persie, as Toure continued his run
 
  Van Persie tried a volleyed pass, miscued it, saw Toure run past him, and then measured a pass through for Toure to stroke his shot between the legs of the advancing Reina from 18 yards, finishing the game.
 
  In 80, Van Persie then got his second assist by curving an inswinging corner onto the head of the unmarked Gallas, who nodded in from five yards.
 
  The return of Eboue meant a lot to Hleb, who was excellent, and to Fabregas, who was everywhere.
 
  Thierry Henry didn’t score, didn’t do a lot.
 
  By the end Liverpool were in tatters, although they improved visibly when Pennant replaced Gonzalez, with Gerrard moving inside. And while Arsenal were the better side, it wasn’t really a 3-0 game.
 
  Three points put Arsenal third with a game in hand over Aston Villa, who are fourth and also have 21 points.
  Bolton have 21, Portsmouth 20.
 
  Liverpool are on 17 points with Wigan and Everton but below them on goal difference. And Wigan have played a game less.
 
  Manchester United are top on 31 points with Chelsea on 28. Those two play each other at Old Trafford on November 26.
 
  This 3-0 victory over Liverpool provides a template for future home games : keep it solid, keep playing, don’t concede. keep passing, keep believing that a goal will come.
 
  The formula worked once and it can work again. The goal took 43 minutes to arrive but it was well-worked and fully deserved Then Arsenal built on that breakthrough by taking charge and scoring two more goals.
 
  Why was Amramovich at the Emirates with his fellow oligarch ? Does he love a game of football that much? Was it just a couple of billionaires having a few laughs on a Sunday afternoon? Is he getting bored by seeing Chelsea win 4-0? Did he want to see a closer contest?
 
  Or did he say to his mate, “Why don’t you buy Liverpool or Arsenal and then we can have a game of ping-pong every weekend?”
 
  Deripaska, Yeltsin’s son-in-law, is an aluminium tycoon who recently acquired LDV Vans in Birmingham. He turned round Gaz, the old Soviet jeep and Volga car company. He is said to be worth $13 billion. Two months ago he was rumoured to be making a bid for Arsenal but that was denied by the board.
 
  Both billionaires are big mates with Putin. Abramovich sold Sibneft to Gazprom, the state-owned gas giant who will now sponsor Schalke 04 till 2012.That’s a big deal and a long deal, could go up to 100 million euros. Gazprom is the third biggest corporation in the world.
  ______________________________
 
  ARSENAL (4-5-1): Almunia; Eboué, Touré, Gallas, Clichy; Hleb, Gilberto,  Fabregas, Flamini, Van Persie (Adebayor, 85); Henry.
  Subs not used: Poom (gk), Senderos, Walcott, Hoyte.
  
  LIVERPOOL (4-4-2): Reina; Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia (Agger, 81), Riise; Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Zenden, Gonzalez (Pennant, 61); Kuyt, Crouch (Bellamy, 70).
  Subs not used: Dudek (gk), Warnock.
 
  Referee: Mark Clattenberg.
  Booked: Flamini, Van Persie, Carragher, Xabi Alonso, Pennant.
  
  Attendance: 60,110.

By Myles Palmer