LIVERPOOL, England — Arsenal secured its first Premier League victory at Anfield in 14 years on Sunday, weathering a fierce Liverpool onslaught to earn a 1-0 win and take sole possession of first place.
German forward Kai Havertz delivered the only goal of the match in the 16th minute, slotting home a precise low cross following an overlapping run from Declan Rice. The triumph lifted the defending league champions three points clear of Manchester City at the summit of the table, according to AFP.
The result marked an emotional turnaround for Mikel Arteta’s squad, coming just four days after the Gunners suffered a stunning Carabao Cup exit at the hands of fourth-tier Fleetwood Town. It also brought an end to an Anfield skid in league play dating back to September 2012.
“Extremely proud. It’s been 14 years, that’s a long time,” Arteta told Sky Sports. “We made everybody attached to the club extremely proud today. Not only for the victory but for the way we’ve done it, the spirit we’ve shown.”
Liverpool responds with sustained pressure
Liverpool, led by manager Andoni Iraola, responded to the early deficit with a relentless 30-minute assault on the Arsenal goal. Iraola fielded his expensive attacking trio of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola, testing an Arsenal back line that was already playing without injured center back William Saliba.
The hosts came agonizingly close to equalizing when Wirtz bent a curling free kick against the crossbar from an acute angle. Midfielder Alexis Mac Allister also missed a prime chance, heading over David Raya’s net from close range.
Controversy flared inside the penalty area when Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber tugged at Isak’s jersey as the Swedish forward attempted to reach a dangerous cross from Barcola. Referee Andy Madley allowed play to continue after Isak stayed on his feet, denying Liverpool a spot kick.
“The Alex one is a clear penalty,” Iraola said, as reported by AFP. “We can all see that he holds the shirt. Because he doesn’t go to the floor, you are not going to call the penalty? I don’t understand it.”
Arteta maintained after the match that he had not seen the incident, while acknowledging to GOAL.com that his team benefited from “an element of luck” during periods of Liverpool dominance.
Defensive stand and sideline controversy
Arsenal regained its composure after the interval, slowing the tempo and blunting the home side’s momentum. Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker had to make a sharp diving stop to turn away a low effort from Christos Tzolis to keep the margin at one.
Liverpool’s second-half push was temporarily disrupted when defender Milos Kerkez collided with Havertz. After briefly holding his head, the Hungarian left back stood up without requiring medical treatment. Under a league guideline instituted this season to limit time-wasting, Kerkez was obliged to remain off the field for 60 seconds, forcing midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai to fill in at fullback while Liverpool played short-handed.
The sequence drew sharp criticism from television analyst Gary Neville on the broadcast, who described the mandatory sideline wait as “absolute nonsense” that unfairly penalized a team already chasing the match, The Independent reported. Kerkez was later substituted in the 81st minute for Kostas Tsimikas.
What comes next
The defeat was just the second in 14 matches for Iraola since he took charge of Liverpool following his departure from Bournemouth, AFP reported. The setback leaves fifth-place Liverpool nine points behind Arsenal in the standings as the Reds attempt to stay within touching distance of the title race.
Arsenal now turns its focus to European competition, traveling for a midweek fixture in Prague with a fresh layer of momentum after surviving its sternest domestic test of the autumn.
