Key events
Aha, David Hytner’s match report is with us.
That means we’re finished here, so thanks for all your company and comments – sorry I couldn’t use them all – and peace out.
Van Dijk tells Sky Liverpool could’ve done more in the last 15 minutes but is disappointed. He thinks they played better after conceding, Mac Allister’s header could’ve changed the game, and he thinks it was a clear penalty on Isak.
Asked if Isak should’ve complained more, he says there are plenty of cameras, so well done to Arsenal.
When someone new comes in, he says, it needs time, work, going through difficult moments and so on. The fans can see there’s so much improvement already in recent weeks, they work their socks off, which is the bare minimum, especially at Liverpool, and what they need is results.
“Not forceful or violent” was VAR’s verdict on Madueke’s little nodlet on Mac Allister. I think that’s the correct call, but again, we need to do something with the laws; currently, we seem to have instituted a system whereby minor off-ball offences and general petulance are judged more harshly than tackles which can cause injury.
I guess Wirtz was signed to be that, but it doesn’t look like he can work quickly enough to compensate for his lack of power and explosive speed.
On the other hand, there are young players coming through who might change that – Max Dowman and Rio Ngumoha most particularly.
That game was, by the way, exactly why I said the Premier League lacks attacking quality. Watching two of the most expensively assembled teams in history, we saw very little in terms of wit, interplay and individual improvisation. The speed, intensity and physicality were something, but neither side had a player able to make sense of it all.
The Premier League table
Also going on:
Declan Rice says Anfield creates waves of sustained attacks, but they got off to a good start and their togetherness is “undefeated … like nothing I’ve ever seen before”.
Haveertz says Liverpool have top players and can show their quality, but they stuck together, defended together, and there were tough moments. On the goal, he says 90% of it belongs to Rice – “we all know his right foot”.
Back to Rice, he says the manager “had a really honest conversation” with him at the start of the season, telling him he could do more, and before the game, he told Havertz to attack the box. It’s his first win at Anfield, but it doesn’t mean anything in terms of the table; you take it seriously in February and March. Before that, you just win as many games as you can.
Rice is given player of the match and, though I’d have gone for Gabriel, I can’t argue with that.
“They just fell short,” says Adam Darke, but the truth is Liverpool weren’t really close. Opta have just decided that Barcola shot does’t count as one, so they went 96 minutes at home without mustering one; they had the Mac Allister header over the bar and Wirtz’s free-kick that hit the bar, but pretty much nothing else.
Or, put another way, Iraola has work to do – but they won’t play teams who defend like Arsenal every week.
FULL TIME: Liverpool 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal win at Anfield for the first time since September 2012; Mikel Arteta wins at Arsenal for the first time in his managerial career. They move top of the table thanks to a colossal effort of collective organisation and defending; it’ll take something significant to stop them retaining their title.
90+6 min Szoboszlai moves it forward, Tsimikas’ attempted cross is blocked by Madueke, and when the ball is pumped back into the Arsenal box, Raya quickly gathers.
90+5 min Alisson punts downfield, Van Dijk makes first contact, and Isak is penalised for a foul on Gabriel. That will probably be it.
90+4 min Two more minutes and, if they don’t concede, Arsenal are going clear at the top. This has been a monstrous rearguard, even if they’ve not been confronted with much quality.
90+2 min Barcola trickles a shot that Raya fields easily; that’s their first one on target. Raya is booked shortly afterwards for wasting time.
90+1 min The corner is cleared so Liverpool come again, but they ran out of ideas some time ago;, if indeed they ever really had any beyond sticking balls into the box. They’v been decent up until that point, but I’m not sure why they’re constructing attacks exactly as Arsenal want them to.
90 min Another ball tossed into the box, Van Dijk flicks on, ands Munoz inhales to squeeze between Calafiori and Hincapie, but can’t get enough on his header. But Liverpool sustain the attack, Ngumoha’s cross blocked behind for a corner; we’ll have six additional minutes.
89 min Arteta sends on Merino for Odegaard, and this reminds me a little of the Bayern game last season, Arsenal securing victory by sending on athletes. They lack a little bit finesse, as Wenger might’ve said but playing them is no fun for anyone.
88 min I thoght Gyokeres might’ve come on earlier to run channels, and when Szoboszlai runs into Odegaard, Lewis-Skelly has a chance to hit him … but puts too much on the pass.
86 min This has been a disappointing second half from Liverpool. The link-up play around the box hasn’t been good enough, but also, they haven’t attempted enough of it. But here’s Ngumoha, running at Calafiori and tossing a few lollipops, his shot blocked out for a throw; Van Dijk is now playing centre-forward, so expect yet more crosses.
84 min Changes for Arsenal, Hincapie and Gyokeres for Tzolis and Havertz. Havertz isn’t everyone’s idea of a centre-forward, mine included, but his record in big games is superb.
82 min Ch ch changes for Liverpool, Munoz, who’ll play right-back, Koumas and Tsimikas on, with Araujo, Wirtz and Kerkez off.
81 min VAR makes the call to let things be; good. Mac Allister and Timber are both booked; the former should be ashamed of the show he made of himself.
79 min Mac Allister fouls Odegaard, then bends double to get in his face, applying a minor slap for extra aggravation. Naturally, sentiments are then exchanges, Timber to the fore, then Madueke puts a forehead next to Mac Aillster’s; I’m not sure there’s forward motion, but there is minor contact, Mac Allister goes down like he’s been deflated, and VAR has a decision to make.
77 min But in the meantime, Ngumoha comes in on his weaker foot, crossing to the back post, and when the ball is knocked back by Van Dijk, Araujo tries to muscle a shot but it bloicked off at source. Liverpool still haven’t had a shot on target which tells you plenty about Arsenal’s defending – and their lack of slickness when it really counts.
75 min Ngumoha conjures space down the right but can’t quite find a gap big enough to sneak through. I wonder if, at some point soon, Iraola might swap him with Barcola, who has the speed to get down the outside, so he can attack the diagonal angle towards the box.
74 min I meant to say, Lewis-Skelly was booked a few minutes ago for bouncing Isak.
73 min Arsenal are starting to control things and, as I type, Madueke moves down the left, sliding square to Tzolis on the other side. He opens the angle for a curler, pinging it low and had … forcing Alisson to plunge right to tip around the post.
71 min Kerkez has to go off after taking treatment; he’s off for quite some time and, in the meantime, Calafiori goes down the left, crosses low, and Van Dijk does really well to insert himself in front of Tzolis, poking away from his slide.
68 mins Jacquet slips and Tzolis is in behind down the left! Alisson leaves space at his near post too, and sure’y he’s going to shoot, but instead he squares, seeking Odegaard, only for the recovering Jacquet to slide in and intercept. He has settled brilliantly; as with many things, I think Richie Aprile said it best.
68 min For a team that doesn’t exude joy, I take pleasure i how much sick pleasure Arsenal take in defending. They love the conflict and confrontation, expect themselves to repel attacks, and do anything to back each other up.
67 min It’s time: Ngumoha replaces Gakpo.
66 min Barcola teleports down the left, crosses low, and Wirtz’s touch is poor then, when Madueke carries clear, Kerkez trips him and is booked.
63 min It’s a while since Liverpool created a proper a chance, and the crowd try to get them going. Arsenal have made the game all Bitty McLean these last few minutes, and they can feel the sweat of time expiring.
62 min Change for Arsenal, Lewis-Skelly on for Guimaraes. I think Arteta will want his ability to get the ball up the pitch.
60 min “I don’t buy this line that all of the best attacking players play outside of the Premier League, writes David Wall.” Sure, Lamine Yamal, Kvaratskhelia, and Mbappe are perhaps on another level (I’d argue Dembele is more of a team player than a great individualist). But others are no better than the best in the Premier League, they just look more glamorous in the colours of Real Madrid or Barcelona. For instance, Anthony Gordon has looked brilliant for Barca so far but was average and inconsistent for Newcastle last year. Players like Haarland, Isak, Bruno Fernande (albeit not this year), Saka, Odegaard, and a few others are as individually talented or effective as anyone playing outside the Premier League. They just suffer through familiarity.”
But that’s what I said: the best attackers don’t play in the Prem. You gave a list, and to that we can add Kane, Olise, Bellingham, Raphinha and others. Saka and Odegaard aren’t in that class, while of course Gordon looks better playing in front of Pedri.
58 min Here comes the change, Szoboszlai returning from injury to replace Nyoni. He struggled to control his emotions early on and might’ve been sent off for two bookable offences, but he stabilised thereafter and kept things ticking with hard, simple passes.
57 min I wonder if we might see Ngumoha soon; oh, but on the touchline, Szoboszlai is preparing himself. Presumably, Nyoni will be the man to make way.
56 min Then Nyoni gives Kerkez quick, simple ball, and hew sets off diagonally from the touchline before slipping Isak in behind; from an acute angle, he thrashes over.
55 min Madueke sweeps Barcol’s legs and is booked.
53 min “Winning the league requires winning every week against teams who are almost uniformly top 40, probably top 30 in Europe,” writes Sam Glover. “It’s not glamorous but it’s just as hard as winning four must-wins against good rivals. It’s just a different era.
And how many top players come to the Premier League and crush it, against how many leave the league and crush it elsewhere. The top of the Champions League is just a reflection of the fact that English teams are battered week in, week out and their rivals play their second team in the league.”
I agree with all of this, but I still think the point stands: the standard at the top is not high. Arsenal aren’t close to Guardiola’s City, Klopp’s Liverpool, Mourinho’s Chelsea or Fergie’s two Champions League winners.
51 min We’ve carried on where we left off, Liverpool again peppering the Arsenal box with crosses, again to little avail. Oh but this is better, Nyoni punching into Mac Allister, who turns to Isak, who flicks around the corner for Kerkez … who’s offside. Nevertheless, those are the kind of moves Liverpool need to construct, one-touch passing against which Arsenal’s defence can’t set.
49 min Thinking again about Jasper’s email, the point with Isak isn’t so much about him taking a dive, but making enough of a confident fuss to make sure VAR take a serious look.
48 min Araujo, of whom we’ve seen relatively little, crosses, but the various attackers are on their heels.