Arsenal beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield on Sunday for their first Premier League win at the ground since September 2012, and went back to the top of the table.
Kai Havertz scored the winner in the 16th minute, tapping in Declan Rice's low cross after Liverpool were caught trying to play out from the back, Complete Sports reported. It was Havertz's 46th Premier League goal, making him the highest-scoring German in Premier League history, ahead of Ilkay Gundogan.
Liverpool had 56% possession and 17 shots, but none on target. According to Opta and BBC Sport, cited by Complete Sports, it was the first time in 442 Premier League games at Anfield since records began in 2003-04 that Liverpool failed to have a shot on target at home. Florian Wirtz hit the crossbar with a free-kick in the 39th minute and Alexis Mac Allister headed over, but Liverpool never tested David Raya.
Fourteen years in the making
Arsenal had been winless in 13 visits (five draws, eight defeats) before Sunday. Their last league win at Anfield came in September 2012, when Mikel Arteta, now their manager, was captain in a 2-0 win with goals from Podolski and Cazorla. Notjustok noted that this was also Arsenal's 300th away win in the Premier League, a total only Manchester United have bettered.
The win took Arsenal to 24 points from nine games, three points clear of Manchester City, who lost to Brighton on Saturday. Liverpool stay fifth on 15 points.
"I love when there is something that we haven't done for many years," Arteta said, calling his side's defensive performance "remarkable".
"In the end, that defensive line, the way we stick together, that togetherness we have, is undefeated," Rice said. "It's nothing I've ever seen before."
'It's not even a debate'
Arsenal won 18 fouls, with Jurrien Timber, Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke drawing three apiece, and Ezri Konsa won all eight of the duels he contested, Sky Sports reported. Rice's 62 touches were the most of any Arsenal player.
Jamie Carragher, speaking on Sky Sports, said: "To come to Anfield and be put under that much pressure and not have a shot on target from the opposition, or Liverpool not get a big chance given the money they have spent on their attack, is outstanding."
He also called Rice "world class" and said: "He's the best midfield player in the Premier League by a long way. It's not even a debate."
Carragher noted that Arsenal managed it without William Saliba, saying: "And that's all without arguably the best defender in the world in Saliba."
No comments yet