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.
Mikel Arteta was in the Arsenal midfield when the club previously won a league fixture at Anfield; it was back in September 2012, although his memories are a little hazy owing to the concussion that he sustained in a collision with Jordan Henderson. Arteta has a clear-eyed focus on retaining the league title and this was an occasion to see his hopes surge. Kai Havertz’s first goal in ten appearances proved the difference but, really, the victory was rooted in Arsenal’s capacity to control and frustrate.
When the full-time whistle went, the Liverpool captain, Virgil van Dijk, was booked for sarcastically applauding the referee, Andy Madley. Everybody connected to the club raged at what they perceived as Arsenal’s dark arts. The truth was that Arteta’s team held them at arm’s length with relative comfort.
Liverpool ran out of ideas as their five-match winning streak in all competitions came to a shuddering halt. They provided high energy enjoyment in the first half but fizzled out badly, the invention drying up. Arsenal’s previous trip to the north-west had ended badly on Tuesday night with the Carabao Cup humiliation at Fleetwood.
This was much more like it. Liverpool were in the mood to take no prisoners at the outset, with Trey Nyoni – on his full league debut – snapping into challenges. The 19-year-old’s first action was to leave something on Martin Ødegaard and not long after that, he did the same to Havertz.
Nyoni was fortunate to emerge without a yellow card. The Kop teemed with intensity; indignation, too, when they felt that Arsenal’s players were too quick to tumble to ground. It was a theme of the day.
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