Rice powers Arsenal to long overdue triumph at Anfield
Man of the match Declan Rice celebrates Arsenal's 1-0 victory against Liverpool at Anfield, Liverpool.
Arsenal claimed their first Premier League win at Anfield since September 2012 but the milestone may also be a portent - a colossal effort of collective organisation and defending that denied Liverpool a shot on target suggests it’ll take something significant to stop them retaining their title.
Man of the match Declan Rice produced the overlap and pinpoint cross for Kai Havertz’s solitary 16th minute goal. Arteta’s side are superbly-drilled in seeing out games having maximised their opportunities and the celebrations in front of the visiting fans having moved top of the table showed how significant they felt this result was.
Kai Havertz's winning goal meant he became the top-scoring German player in Premier League history (46), overtaking Ilkay Gundogan (45).
And while most of the football was played by Liverpool after going behind it did not bring any rewards – partly due to poor judgement and execution but also bad luck.
How Jurrien Timber’s tug on the shirt of Alexander Isak as he tried to connect with a header escaped the eagle eye of VAR will remain a question, especially as they were quick to look into a more regular coming together of Cody Gakpo and Christos Tzolis.
By then the hosts were already behind after another miscalculation by Alisson. A week ago against Brighton the Brazil international had got away with a few loose passes in the win against Brighton. Arsenal were not so forgiving.
His attempted pass to Jeremy Jacquet gave the centre-back no chance of retaining possession and the loose ball was seized upon by Arsenal, who moved it the right where Noni Madueke and Declan Rice combined for Havertz to tap in at the far post.
The margins were always going to be tight in a match between the current champions, who have won all five league games when scoring the game’s first this season, and their predecessors and that one error proved to be the difference as for all their pressure Liverpool failed to test David Raya.
Much of that was down to the hosts’ lack of composure in the final third – Raya did not have to make a save – and Arsenal’s experience at doing the necessary dirty work to deny those opportunities.
In its wake match winner Havertz told Sky Sports: “It means a lot to the whole football club. It is important. It’s what they deserve [the fans]. We all know what this stadium is about. We knew it was coming but we all stuck together, defended together. Ninety per cent of the goal belongs to Declan.”
Added the England midfielder: "That is what Liverpool do. This stadium creates waves and waves of attacks. Relentless. That defensive line, that togetherness, undefeated, is something I’ve never seen before. The manager had an honest conversation with me and said I could do even more for this club [in terms of assists and goals]. It’s always tiring coming here. First win in 14 years and my first win here too. It’s demanding. An amazing result. I have learnt that you can only take the table seriously in February and March and all you can do until then is win as many as you can.”
For the first time on record (since 2003-04), Liverpool failed to record a shot on target in a Premier League game at Anfield. It was their 442nd league match played at the venue since the start of the 2003-04 campaign.
It was a game when Arsenal showed their ruthless side and all of the champion knowhow that they accumulated over the course of last season. As they headed back to London, they did so having made a statement. Irrespective of what happens to Manchester City over their financial rule breaches, Arsenal remain the Premier League’s team to beat.
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