Arsenal won at Anfield for the first time in the Premier League in 14 years. Kai Havertz scored on 16 minutes and the reigning champions held on to win 1-0, taking them three points clear of Manchester City at the top. Liverpool had 17 shots and did not hit the target with any of them.
The goal
It came from a Liverpool mistake. Liverpool tried to play out from a goal kick and Arsenal won the ball back. Bruno Guimarães moved it right to Noni Madueke, Declan Rice overlapped him and his low cross found Havertz alone at the back post to tap in.
It was Havertz's 46th Premier League goal, according to beIN Sports one more than Ilkay Gündoğan, which makes him the competition's top German scorer.
Arteta pointed to the move. "The moment to recognise the open situation and timing of him and Noni playing the 2v1," he said of Rice.
Arsenal should have had more
Arsenal had chances to settle it before half-time. Bruno Guimarães curled a shot just wide, Jurriën Timber could not turn Madueke's knock-back in from close range, and Alisson Becker saved Rice's follow-up. In the second half Jérémy Jacquet cleared a Christos Tzolis cutback off the line with Martin Ødegaard waiting, and Alisson tipped Tzolis' first-time shot past the post.
"Very fluid at times," Arteta said. "We generated six or seven big chances."
Liverpool's half an hour
Liverpool finished the first half strongly. Florian Wirtz curled a free kick onto the crossbar and Alexis Mac Allister, unmarked, headed Milos Kerkez's cross over. They also had two penalty shouts turned down, for a hold on Cody Gakpo and a pull on Alexander Isak's shirt by Timber.
"The Gakpo one was sustained holding, but definitely the Alex one was a clear one," Andoni Iraola said. "That's the problem we have, because he doesn't dive. I should tell Alex next time he has to go to the floor."
Virgil van Dijk agreed. "I think it was also a clear penalty, I've seen it back," he told Sky Sports. "We lose the game, unfortunately. Well done to Arsenal."
No way through
In the second half Isak fired over from a tight angle and Liverpool threw on Dominik Szoboszlai, Rio Ngumoha, Kostas Tsimikas, Víctor Muñoz and Lewis Koumas, but Arsenal held their shape. Liverpool had 56 percent of the ball and seven corners. According to beIN Sports, it was the first time on record, going back to 2003-04, that they failed to register a shot on target in a Premier League home game.
"We had big chances. We hit the crossbar. We should finish better," Iraola said. He was also unhappy with the goal. "We had seven or eight guys but didn't defend it properly."
Iraola had made seven changes from the Carabao Cup win over Chelsea in midweek, and Trey Nyoni made his first Premier League start. It was Liverpool's second defeat under Iraola, and it leaves them fifth, nine points off the top.
Van Dijk still sees progress. "When someone new comes into the building and everything is changing, it just needs time," he said. "But what we do need as well is results."
Fourteen years
Arsenal had gone 13 Premier League visits to Anfield without a win, six of them under Arteta. Their last league win there was 2-0 in September 2012.
"Especially for everybody attached to this football club, 14 years without winning here is a long time," Arteta said.
Arsenal have 24 points from nine games. Manchester City are second on 21 and Brighton third on 19.
Our model called this one 1-0 to Arsenal. Exactly.
