The Reds initiated their Premier League journey positively when Dominik Szoboszlai’s exceptional free kick resulted in a 1-0 triumph against the Gunners at Anfield this Sunday.
The highly anticipated match between the contenders was seemingly proceeding towards a lackluster sequence of four consecutive top-tier stalemates between these teams at Anfield.
However, following a scoreless opening half, the Liverpool midfielder – positioned at right back during the encounter – unleashed a potent, bending strike that bypassed David Raya from a central location, surpassing 30 yards from the goal, during the 83rd minute.
This pivotal moment materialized soon after Mikel Arteta introduced Eberechi Eze for his Arsenal debut, yet the team’s recent addition didn’t significantly influence the game.
Liverpool advance to the Premier League’s summit as they embark on the international break, having commenced their title pursuit with three consecutive victories, potentially followed by additional excitement on the approaching deadline day.
Alexander Isak and Marc Guéhi are reportedly targets for Liverpool on Monday, while Arsenal’s hopes rest on William Saliba avoiding any severe issues after his early exit within the initial five minutes.
The defender sustained an injury while contesting Hugo Ekitike and was substituted by summer acquisition Cristhian Mosquera.
Additionally, there was a last-minute adjustment in the VAR setup for what proved to be a demanding game marked by limited ingenuity and unambiguous opportunities. John Brooks took over from Michael Salisbury as the VAR official following Salisbury’s error in Saturday’s clash between Chelsea and Fulham.
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Cody Gakpo cut inside and fired an initial 25-yard attempt that narrowly missed the mark, while Noni Madueke consistently challenged left back Milos Kerkez on the opposite flank.
The Arsenal winger successfully earned multiple corner kicks, one of which, around the midpoint of the first half, prompted a notable save from Alisson.
Liverpool’s performance was somewhat lacking, yet Raya almost inadvertently provided them with a 33rd-minute advantage. Virgil van Dijk intercepted the goalkeeper’s weak pass through the center, but couldn’t locate Mohamed Salah.
Kerkez deflected a shot from Madueke behind the goal as Arsenal generated some minor chances before the halftime interval.
Neither team managed a significant attempt until the 60th minute, when Florian Wirtz’s strike proved too challenging for Raya to handle. Ekitike reacted swiftly, and the deflected ball was ultimately directed into the net, although the goal was subsequently disallowed due to an offside infringement by the forward.
Liverpool amplified their intensity from that juncture, with Gakpo’s optimistic effort being secured by Raya and Raya narrowly preventing a subtle cross from Salah from reaching Wirtz.
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Arteta responded by substituting Martin Ødegaard and recent addition Eze for the final 20 minutes, with the intent of fostering more nuanced, inventive gameplay.
Liverpool faced an injury setback as Ibrahima Konaté was forced off, and they appeared to be running out of offensive ideas, until a magical moment unfolded in front of the Kop.
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Martín Zubimendi received a caution for a foul committed against Curtis Jones approximately 30 yards from the goal, allowing Szoboszlai to capitalize with an awe-inspiring free kick that nestled into the top-left corner.
Anfield erupted as Arsenal pressed for an equalizer, with Eze’s appeals for a penalty against Joe Gomez being dismissed before Konaté’s replacement thwarted Viktor Gyökeres from connecting with a cross.
Record acquisition Wirtz exited the game with a limp as time dwindled, and Arsenal ultimately failed to secure an equalizing goal despite their persistent efforts until the final whistle.
