Szoboszlai's stunning free kick sends Liverpool to the top of the table

WINNER: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai celebrates scoring the winning goal. Pic: Carl Recine/Getty Images

Premier League: Liverpool 1 (Szoboszlai 83’) Arsenal 0

IT was a game that didn't deserve a goal of such quality to decide it but that will matter little to Liverpool who struck a significant early blow in the title race thanks to a moment of inspiration from Dominik Szoboszlai.

Just seven minutes remained of a largely turgid contest when the Hungarian international exacted maximum punishment for Martin Zubimendi's seemingly innocuous foul on Curtis Jones just over 30 yards from goal.

From a central position, the midfielder who has been pressed into service as an emergency right-back sent a wonderful set-piece over the wall and into the top corner via David Raya's right-hand post. The first goal Arsenal have conceded this season may well be the best they'll ship all year.

Szoboszlai's split-second moment of skill glossed-over what was in large an Anfield anti-climax as the top two English clubs from last season huffed and puffed their way towards what seemed an inevitable stalemate until the unexpected late twist to stretch Arsenal's 15-match winless run at this venue.

Liverpool had shared 11 goals in posting thrilling victories in their first two matches, but for the majority of the contest, they couldn't find a way through Arsenal's cream wall. It took them until the final 20 minutes to force their first corner.

As solid as they were at the back, coping seamlessly with the early loss through injury of William Saliba, Arsenal were desperately lacking going forward, even against a defence as suspect as Arne Slot's backline has been this season.

The anonymous Viktor Gyokeres underlined just how much of a flat-track bully he will be this season against any half-decent opponents, and not even the late introduction of Eberechi Eze from the bench could spark them into life.

The only urgency they showed was after the concession of the goal and by then it was too late to breathe life into a moribund attacking display as not for the first time here they paid the price for a lack of ambition.

Virgil van Dijk set the risk-averse tone early on, refusing to shoot with a wholly presentable chance on the edge of the Arsenal area when intercepting a woeful Raya attempt to play out from the back.

In a rare Arsenal foray, Alisson had to get down smartly to his right to keep out Noni Madueke's 18-yard shot. Liverpool had the ball in the net just after the hour, but Hugo Ekitike's follow-up effort was ruled out for offside against Cody Gakpo after Raya spilled a Florian Wirtz shot.

A first stalemate between the sides for a decade seemed on the cards until Szoboszlai stepped up in front of the Kop to maintain the Champions' 100 per cent start in the most memorable fashion.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson 8; Szoboszlai 9, Konate 7 (Gomez 79, 7), van Dijk 7, Kerkez 8; Gravenberch 7, MacAllister 6 (Jones 61, 7); Salah 6, Wirtz 6 (Endo 89, 6), Gakpo 6; Ekitike 6 (Chiesa 79, 6). 

Booked: Gravenberch, Endo.

Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya6; Timber 6, Saliba 5 (Mosquera 6, 6), Gabriel 7, Calafiori 6; Merino 6 (Odegaard 70, 6) , Zubimendi 6, Rice 6; Madueke 6, Gyokeres 3, Martinelli 5 (Eze 70, 5). 

Booked: Gyokeres, Zubimendi.

Referee: Chris Kavanagh