Football writer Ninad Barbadikar analyses Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Arsenal at Anfield.
Two teams who will dominate the title race conversation for the rest of the 2025/26 season – Arsenal and Liverpool played out the sort of battle that went on to underline how thin the margins are between the two at the moment.
You have to go as far back as 2012 for the last time the Gunners claimed all three points in the Premier League at Anfield. Liverpool have since remained unbeaten at home to Arsenal, winning three of the last six meetings.
In a match that seemed like it was heading for a goalless finish, it took a moment of magic from Dominik Szoboszlai to win the game. The Hungarian stepped up to a free-kick from all of 32 yards to beat David Raya in the 83rd minute and rescue the win. It is also the third time already this season that Liverpool have secured the three points from a late winner.
Watch Szoboszlai's free-kick from all angles
Both teams came into this match with perfect starts to the season to preserve. Mikel Arteta’s Gunners not only had a perfect two wins out of two, they had also managed to keep back-to-back clean sheets in their victories over Manchester United and Leeds United.
In stark contrast, Arne Slot’s Liverpool seem to be still finding their feet in defence, having already conceded four times in two. Though in attack, they’ve been firing on all cylinders, with the shiny new Hugo Ekitike already impressing with two goals in two. A tally of eight goals is the most in the league, one more than Chelsea in second.
Injury issues have forced both Slot and Arteta into reconfiguring their sides early in the season. The Spaniard chose to start with Mikel Merino and Gabriel Martinelli in place of Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka respectively, with Noni Madueke shifting to his more favoured right-wing spot.
So how did this tense and cagey affair play out?
Arsenal in total control for the first half
Without their key creative players in this one, Arteta chose to adopt a safety-first approach for this game, which has largely become the trademark of the Gunners in big games. It was especially important in this one against Liverpool, as it prevented the game from becoming the kind of basketball affair that Liverpool generally thrive in.
The opening quarter saw Liverpool dominate possession, with Arsenal focused on keeping their structure secure. In their 4-4-2 mid-block, Merino led the press alongside striker Viktor Gyokeres, while Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice were tasked with occupying their double-pivot counter-parts in Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister.
When in possession, though, Arsenal increased their numbers at the back, with Rice dropping in and Riccardo Calafiori moving inside into central areas, to open up access to Martinelli on the left and provide support in build-up phases.
The Gunners were struck an early blow in defence though, with William Saliba having to go off due to injury, which Arteta later revealed was an issue picked up during the warm-up.
That meant Cristhian Mosquera was called upon to step into big shoes alongside Gabriel Magalhaes, and the Spaniard did a stellar job in difficult circumstances.
The additional numbers at the back meant that Arsenal could circulate safely and allow Raya’s distribution to find their wingers in Martinelli and Madueke in behind the Liverpool full-backs, with the latter particularly effective in getting Arsenal further up the pitch.
In a first half of few chances, Arsenal certainly would have been the happier of the two, doing an excellent job of nullifying Liverpool’s attackers.
Liverpool patience rewarded
The second half saw the game open up more, particularly past the hour mark, with Dutch midfielder Gravenberch key in neutralising Arsenal’s pressure in the middle of the park and helping Liverpool put together some really impressive sequences of play. Summer signing Florian Wirtz tested Raya on two occasions inside the Arsenal box, before he had to be taken off due to cramp.
Despite Liverpool’s increasing pressure, Arsenal’s defence held firm and it took something truly exceptional to find a way past them. Szoboszlai certainly managed exactly that, when he pinged a rocket of a free-kick past Raya to put the cherry on top of another excellent performance at right-back.
Arteta attempted to roll the dice by introducing captain Odegaard and giving Eberechi Eze his debut, but even the combined creative prowess of those two was not enough to unlock Liverpool’s defence in the end.
Gyokeres struggles and Mosquera impresses
Arteta will be concerned by his Swedish striker’s failure to put a stamp on the game against Ibrahima Konate, as the Frenchman got the better of Gyokeres across the game in ground duels and in the air. Kai Havertz’s return from injury will be key for Arsenal if they want to find their edge in these big matches, whereas with Gyokeres, as he has shown against Leeds United, he can dominate contests where there are bigger spaces and more chances to contend with.
A huge silver lining will undoubtedly be the performance of Mosquera at the back, who filled in for Saliba admirably. The young Spaniard was brave on the ball and did not shirk any of the challenges that came his way. No doubt Arteta will have the confidence to rely on him, whatever the occasion, for the rest of the season.
Nevertheless, with Liverpool having now scored in 37 consecutive Premier League matches, the prospect of improvement on that front with an additional attacker is scary to say the least. Slot’s champions are looking unstoppable at the minute.