We may be witnessing the death rattle of the third great Liverpool side

Liverpool's defensive frailties, that saw Napoli net four times in the Champions League and Brighton three at Anfield last week, were laid bare again within 58 seconds

WINNER: Arsenal's Bukayo Saka scores his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Liverpool at Emirates Stadium in London. Pic: AP Photo/Rui Vieira

Arsenal 3 Liverpool 2 

"What you have built with your hands you then knock down with your backside is not helpful," Jurgen Klopp admitted and it was difficult to disagree.

Arsenal celebrated returning to the top of the Premier League as though it were May not mid-October but what we may have actually witnessed was the death rattle of the third great Liverpool side in the club's long history.

Just as Bill Shankly's 60s stars had faded by the end of that decade, and the serial trophy-winners Bob Paisley took to even greater heights were done by 1990 it seems that, however much he may argue otherwise, Klopp's seven-year success story is coming to the end of its natural life cycle.

Even the remote control officials, whose interventions in previous seasons earned Klopp's side the nickname LiVARpool, deserted the Merseysiders in this one.

They failed to spot a blatant penalty for handball when Arsenal were 1-0 up, and awarded the Gunners a softish one late on for Bukayo Saka to allow Mikel Arteta's side to climb back above Manchester City to the league summit.

Liverpool's defending, though, was their real undoing and not for the first time this season. And this was another 90 minutes in which Mo Salah, last season's Golden Boot winner, toiled in his new role as touchline nonentity.

Arsenal were second best for most of the first half but dominated the second and the table rarely lies, especially if you have won 10 of 11 matches in all competitions so far. That very same table shows Liverpool, the club that came so close to winning absolutely everything last season, trailing 14 points behind.

"The feeling of winning is so powerful and meaningful for me," said Arteta. "Because I saw a team I could really identify with - the personality they showed in difficult moments, how they stuck to what they had to do defensively and had the free mind to just go for it, attack them and put them under pressure."

Liverpool had only themselves to blame, however, and defensive frailties that saw Napoli net four times in the Champions League and Brighton three at Anfield last week were laid bare again within 58 seconds, when Gabriel Martinelli fired the hosts ahead.

A quick counter involving Saka and Martin Odegaard saw the Brazilian stroke home a simple finish and once again the TV cameras were focusing on a bewildered Trent Alexander-Arnold.

VAR checked a possible offside but then, inexplicably, decided that Gabriel's use of an arm to block Diogo Jota's flick in the box was not a penalty.

It didn't put Liverpool off their stride however, with Darwin Nunez becoming increasingly a threat. First the big money buy from Benfica forced Aaron Ramsdale into a save before William Saliba, with no choice because Luis Diaz was right behind him, did that as well.

Salah trundled a tame effort wide but a goal was coming and Gabriel's poor touch allowed Diaz to cross for Nunez to slide in and equalise.

Liverpool self-destructed again, however, in first-half stoppage-time when they were caught on another swift counter attack. Martinelli led this one and - for some reason - it was defender Gabriel rather than striker Gabriel Jesus who dummied to give Saka a close-range finish.

Injuries that could turn out to be serious prevented Luiz and Alexander-Arnold from reappearing for the second period but again Liverpool thrived in adversity and Roberto Firmino, Diaz's replacement, accepted Jota's pass to slot across Ramsdale in the 53rd minute.

Klopp and Co were never to mount another serious assault on the home goal, however, as the afternoon became even more of a war of attrition.

Jesus required lengthy treatment when he tripped over already-prone team-mate Odegaard and was smacked in the face by Konstantinos Tsimikas' arm.

Then came the penalty that decided it, with VAR Darren England agreeing with referee Michael Oliver's call. Klopp conceded that plenty of his players had the opportunity to clear but was convinced that Thiago's clipping of the revived Jesus was not what it seemed.

"He thought it was a penalty, which was interesting but it's his decision," the German said. "Mr England had a look at it and thought it was a penalty as well and that's what we know in life - if two refs think the same then it's the truth we have to live with.

"But if there was contact - and I'm not sure there was contact, there might have been soft contact - if a player goes with both feet and then down that's an indication that something might have been made up.

"But not for the refs - and they thought it was a clear 'not a handball' in the first half."

Tempers flared in the aftermath of the penalty award, with Jordan Henderson particularly upset with Gabriel, but Saka kept his nerve to beat Alisson from the spot. Arsenal must still face champions Manchester City, who are a point behind, but this was another stern test passed by Arteta's young cohorts.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Ramsdale 6; White 7, Saliba 7, Gabriel 6, Tomiyasu 7; Partey 6, Xhaka 7; Saka 7, Odegaard 7 (Tierney 82, 5), Martinelli 7; Jesus 6 (Nketiah 90, 3).

Unused subs: Turner, Holding, Soares, Vieira, Lokonga, Marquinhos.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson 6; Alexander-Arnold 5 (Gomez 46, 5), Matip 5 (Konate 69, 5), van Dijk 6, Tsimikas 6; Henderson 7, Thiago 6; Salah 4 (Fabinho 69, 5), Jota 7 (Elliott 81, 4), Diaz 6 (Firmino 42, 6); Nunez 7.

Unused subs: Kelleher, Milner, Carvalho, Phillips.

Referee: Michael Oliver 6.