Arsenal’s previous league victory at Anfield dates back to September 2012, a day when Podolski and Cazorla found the net and Mikel Arteta was still wearing the shirt as a player. On Sunday Arteta’s side finally ended the drought, beating Liverpool 1-0 through a Kai Havertz goal and climbing back above Manchester City to the Premier League summit.
The decisive moment came from a Liverpool error rather than sustained pressure. A hurried clearance by Alisson after a goal kick was intercepted by Martin Ødegaard, Declan Rice charged forward on the right, and his low ball across the six-yard box left Havertz with the simplest of finishes at the far post in the 16th minute. According to the club, no German has now scored more goals in the Premier League than Havertz.
What followed was largely a test of nerve. Andoni Iraola’s side pressed high and pinned the visitors back for long spells. They felt they should have had a penalty when Jurriën Timber tugged Alexander Isak’s shirt, Florian Wirtz rattled the crossbar with a curling free kick and Alexis Mac Allister headed over. Yet with Gabriel and Ezri Konsa outstanding in the absence of William Saliba, Liverpool ended the afternoon without a single effort on target. At the other end Alisson needed a sharp diving stop to deny Christos Tzolis a second.
For Liverpool it was only a second defeat under Iraola, but it ended a five-match winning run in all competitions in front of 60,406 fans. For Arsenal, humbled at Fleetwood in the League Cup only five days earlier, it was a 300th Premier League away win and a timely response. They travel to Slavia Prague in the Champions League on Wednesday before hosting Hull City on Saturday.
