Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free-kick gave Liverpool first blood against Arsenal with a 1-0 win in Sunday’s battle between the Premier League title favourites.
A tense tussle at Anfield looked set to end in a stalemate until the Hungarian’s 83rd-minute strike ensured the defending champions remain the only side with a perfect record from the opening three games.
In all three matches, Arne Slot’s men have scored late winners, also overcoming Bournemouth and Newcastle in dramatic fashion.
Liverpool may still be a work in progress after overhauling the squad that romped to the title last season. But they remain the team to beat thanks to an abundance of attacking talent capable of match-winning moments like the one Szoboszlai produced.
Liverpool could even be stronger come the end of the transfer window on Monday as they look to add Newcastle’s unsettled striker Alexander Isak and Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi to bolster their defence.
Arsenal have backed Mikel Arteta with over £250 million ($338 million) worth of new signings in a bid to usurp the Reds and win the Gunners’ first Premier League title since 2004.
The visitors were hampered by the absence of the injured Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz. But Viktor Gyokeres did little to silence doubts that he can make the step up from a prolific spell at Sporting Lisbon to the Premier League. The Swede was easily marshalled by Virgil van Dijk.
To add to the Gunners’ injury woes, William Saliba went off inside the opening five minutes, replaced by Christhian Mosquera. The Spanish under-21 international is yet to make a Premier League start but was not seriously tested as Liverpool’s new-look attack struggled to click into gear.
Despite defensive issues this season, Slot again named a front four of club record signing Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike.
At Arsenal, Noni Madueke’s arrival was not met with enthusiasm by fans who even started a petition to block the England international’s £48.5 million move from Chelsea. Deputising for Saka on the right wing, Madueke was by far the visitors’ biggest threat.
Milos Kerkez has had a difficult start to his Liverpool career and was consistently beaten for pace by Madueke, who lacked the finishing touch.
A desperate Kerkez challenge deflected Madueke’s strike over with the best effort of a disjointed first half.
The second half followed the same cagey pattern with both sides wary of risking a damaging early defeat in the title race.
Liverpool did have the ball in the net on the hour, only to be denied by the offside flag.
David Raya breathed a sigh of relief after he failed to hold Wirtz’s effort and then tripped Gakpo before Ekitike forced the ball in.
Psychological blow
However, Gakpo had strayed offside before collecting the rebound.
That excitement did at least bring the Anfield crowd to life to inspire a late Liverpool push for all three points.
Arsenal had not conceded this season and it took something special to break down Arteta’s men. Szoboszlai’s free-kick dipped and curled perfectly in off the Raya’s right-hand post to leave the Spaniard helpless.
Arsenal had a penalty shout waved away for Joe Gomez’s challenge on Eberechi Eze in their pursuit of an equaliser.
Liverpool stood strong to register their first clean sheet of the season and land an early psychological blow in the title race.
