Havertz opened the scoring early, and the Gunners held firm at Anfield, securing their first away shutout against Liverpool in 14 years to climb to the top of the Premier League table.
Premier League defending champions Arsenal defeated Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield today, ending a 14-year away winless streak and reclaiming the top spot in the Premier League standings by three points over Manchester City. Kai Havertz opened the scoring in the 16th minute, becoming the only goal of the match.
Arsenal took the lead in this high-stakes match, and despite being under heavy attack from Liverpool in the second half, they held on to their victory with a solid defense, adding another clean sheet to their tally of 8 wins in 9 league games.
With Manchester City facing severe points deductions due to over 100 violations of Premier League rules, this victory is even more significant for Arsenal, representing a direct blow to their most threatening title rivals.
Arsenal suffered one of the biggest upsets in League Cup history last week, losing to fourth-tier side Fleetwood Town. Manager Mikel Arteta was quick to criticize the team after the match. The Gunners responded with a strong start to the game.
Xavier Havertz redeemed himself after squandering numerous scoring opportunities in the cup. In the 16th minute, Declan Rice delivered a precise low cross, which Havertz easily tapped into the net, scoring the crucial goal for his team's victory.
Liverpool's expensively built attacking trident, featuring Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, and Bradley Barcola, started together for the first time, and signs of budding chemistry were already emerging.
In the first half, Isak received a tricky pass from Bacola and was pulled from behind by Jurrien Timber, but he did not fall to the ground, and the referee ignored it. Iraola was quite dissatisfied with this after the game: "That was clearly a penalty, everyone could see his shirt being pulled, so why wasn't it called just because he didn't fall? I can't understand it."
Wirtz took a free kick from a tight angle, the ball grazed the crossbar and bounced out; Alexis Mac Allister headed the ball in front of the goal, but it went into the stands behind David Raya, missing a golden opportunity.
The halftime break allowed Arsenal to regroup, and Liverpool's stamina noticeably declined in the second half, resulting in a significantly less effective attack. Around the 20th minute, Christos Tzolis unleashed a shot towards the near corner, but Alisson Becker made a brilliant save, temporarily keeping Liverpool's hopes alive. However, Arsenal ultimately held on for the final whistle, securing the victory.
After the match, Arteta could not hide his excitement: "We haven't felt this joy here for so long, this victory means a lot to us. I am proud of the team, the players and everyone's efforts."
Iraola said, "I really like how the players react when they fall behind. The season has just begun, and Arsenal is in the best position right now, but it's only the beginning of November."
This defeat leaves fifth-placed Liverpool nine points behind league leaders, posing a serious challenge to their title hopes. Meanwhile, Arsenal remain firmly in the title race, continuing their march toward their goal of defending their title.
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