Liverpool recovered from a sluggish start and created several promising opportunities, but could not find a way past Arsenal’s well-organised defence. The defeat brought Andoni Iraola’s side back down to earth after a five-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
Liverpool make changes as Arsenal cope without Saka
Iraola remained without several players, including Conor Bradley, Jeremie Frimpong and Hugo Ekitiké. In central midfield, Trey Nyoni was preferred to Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch. Alexander Isak led the attack, supported by Bradley Barcola, Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo.
Arsenal were also short of their strongest starting XI, with Bukayo Saka’s absence particularly significant. Noni Madueke took his place on the right, while Christos Tzolis started on the opposite flank. Havertz spearheaded the attack, with Declan Rice and Bruno Guimarães forming the central midfield partnership.
Both teams lined up in a 4-2-3-1, but adopted contrasting approaches. Arsenal looked to press high and force turnovers, while Liverpool aimed to play through their opponents with short passing combinations and exploit the pace of their wide players.
Havertz punishes Liverpool’s mistake at the back
Arsenal made the brighter start. The visitors pushed high up the pitch and put Liverpool under pressure from the very first phase of their build-up play. Rice was particularly active in the press, making it difficult for the hosts to establish any rhythm in possession.
That approach paid off in the 16th minute. Liverpool attempted to play out from the back following a short pass from goalkeeper Alisson, but Arsenal forced a turnover in the opposition half and immediately exploited the opening.
Rice delivered a low ball across the penalty area, where Havertz had escaped his marker at the far post. The German made no mistake from close range, putting Arsenal 1-0 ahead.
Martin Ødegaard’s pressure on Alisson had set the move in motion. Liverpool’s attempts to build from the back presented Arsenal with exactly the opportunity their high press had been designed to create. Only seconds separated the turnover and the finish, leaving the hosts with neither the time nor the defensive shape to recover.
Liverpool grow into the game after falling behind
As the first half progressed, Liverpool became more effective at playing through Arsenal’s initial press. Their full-backs pushed higher, while Wirtz looked for pockets of space between the visitors’ midfield and defensive lines.
The hosts began to pose a greater threat down the left, where Kerkez was increasingly involved in attacking moves. Arsenal were forced deeper, although they remained alert inside their own penalty area. Isak had an opportunity following a cross but failed to hit the target.
Liverpool appealed for a penalty in the 34th minute when Jurriën Timber pulled Isak’s shirt during a challenge inside the box. Referee Andy Madley allowed play to continue, and VAR did not intervene.
Five minutes later, Wirtz came agonisingly close to equalising. The German curled a free-kick over the wall, only to see his effort crash against the crossbar. Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya was beaten.
By this stage, Liverpool were spending long spells in the opposition half. They were also winning more second balls, allowing them to sustain attacks and keep Arsenal under pressure. Shortly before half-time, Alexis Mac Allister headed over from another promising attacking move.
Arsenal stand firm as Liverpool turn up the pressure
Liverpool continued to push forward after the break, while Arsenal became more cautious in possession. Rather than trying to pass their way out of tight situations, the visitors increasingly looked to move the ball forward quickly after regaining it.
Gabriel and Ezri Konsa kept things tight through the middle, with Rice regularly dropping back to protect the defence. Liverpool were consequently forced to direct much of their attacking play towards the flanks, where Arsenal dealt effectively with most of the deliveries into the box.
Iraola made his first adjustment in the 59th minute, introducing Szoboszlai for Nyoni. Rio Ngumoha then replaced an ineffective Gakpo. The changes were intended to inject more movement between the lines and greater urgency in individual duels.
Ngumoha was more willing to take on defenders, while Szoboszlai made forward runs from midfield. Arsenal, however, maintained their compact shape. Isak found himself with another shooting opportunity but dragged his effort off target.
As the minutes passed, protecting the lead became Arsenal’s overriding priority. Occasional counterattacks provided some relief from Liverpool’s pressure, although the visitors were unable to add a second goal.
Iraola introduced further attacking options late on, including Víctor Muñoz, Lewis Koumas and Konstantinos Tsimikas. Liverpool committed more bodies to the penalty area, but even six minutes of stoppage time were not enough to break down the visitors.
Liverpool dominate the attacking numbers but come away empty-handed
Liverpool had the statistical edge, with 56 per cent possession, 17 shots to Arsenal’s ten and 48 touches in the opposition penalty area compared with the visitors’ 23. The number of touches inside the box illustrates how frequently the hosts managed to push Arsenal onto the defensive.
Liverpool also finished slightly ahead on expected goals, with an xG of 1.15 compared with Arsenal’s 0.96. Those figures point to a fairly even contest in terms of chance quality, with a narrow advantage for the Reds. The 1-0 result was therefore far from inevitable, but Arsenal capitalised on their key opportunity and successfully protected their lead.
Rice was arguably the standout performer. He created the winning goal, played an important role in the high press and helped close down central spaces after the interval. On several occasions, his quick recovery runs prevented Liverpool from exploiting potentially dangerous situations following Arsenal turnovers. Gabriel and Konsa also impressed with their defensive work.
For all their activity around the penalty area, Liverpool struggled to turn promising positions into clear shooting opportunities. Isak lacked precision with his finishing, while Barcola and Gakpo found little room against Arsenal’s defensive structure. Wirtz produced the hosts’ most dangerous effort with his free-kick against the crossbar.
Arsenal take sole possession of top spot
The victory sends Arsenal three points clear of Manchester City after nine Premier League matches, following City’s defeat to Brighton on Saturday. The two clubs had entered the weekend level on points, with City leading on goal difference. Liverpool remain fifth, nine points behind the leaders, after Arsenal’s first league triumph at Anfield since 2012.
Liverpool, meanwhile, were left to reflect on a defeat despite a committed performance. Iraola’s side improved considerably after conceding early, but struggled to find their way through Arsenal’s tightly organised defence with combinations through the middle. Ultimately, one mistake in their build-up proved decisive in a match that could easily have produced a different outcome.
