Liverpool 0-1 Arsenal: Havertz ends Gunners' wait for an Anfield win dating back to 2012

Mikel Arteta was anchoring Arsenal's midfield when the Gunners last won a league game at Anfield, in September 2012. Fourteen years later, his side win there again without conceding a single shot on target. The match is decided in the 16th minute, from a short distribution by Alisson Becker that the visitors win back. Declan Rice drives into the box, rolls the ball back and Kai Havertz pushes it in at the far post.

Liverpool respond with energy and dominate until the break. From a ball into the box, Alexander Isak is held by the shirt by Jurriën Timber, stays on his feet and gets nothing, either from referee Andrew Madley or from the video assistant. Florian Wirtz then hits the bar from a free kick. It is the Reds' closest chance, and it does not count among the shots on target.

The second half gradually fizzles out. Liverpool have the ball, Arsenal cut off the angles and break up the rhythm. Alisson finishes with 2 saves, and the closing stages are played out as much in protests as in the box: Timber and Alexis Mac Allister are booked together in the 80th minute for dissent, David Raya in the 90+3 for time-wasting, Virgil van Dijk in the 90+7.

Seventeen shots, none on target

The number that tells the story of Liverpool's evening fits into two columns: 17 shots, 14 of them inside the box, and none on target. David Raya ends the night with zero saves to his name. Nine attempts were blocked and eight went wide. The Reds nonetheless finish ahead on expected goals, 1.23 to 1.02, with 56% possession and 7 corners to 4.

These figures do not say that Arsenal wobbled: they show a team that conceded volume without letting a single effort reach the goalkeeper. Arsenal put 3 of their 10 shots on target, and their only goal comes from a distribution error rather than from dominance. Liverpool's 18 fouls to 10 fit this pattern, though they cannot on their own explain what was decided in the duels.

One goal, and a German record

16th minute, Kai Havertz from a Declan Rice pass. The close-range finish at the far post makes the forward the highest-scoring German in Premier League history, with 46 goals, one more than Ilkay Gündogan. It was also his only shot of the match. Viktor Gyökeres replaces him in the 84th minute.

The title is also defended without the ball

The turning point is the 16th minute, because the match then played out in favour of Arsenal's game plan. Behind, Liverpool had to attack a block that defended its box diligently. Ezri Konsa, partnering Gabriel Magalhães in the absence of William Saliba, sums up that work: 5 tackles and 8 duels won out of 9. This solidity gives the champions a sixth clean sheet in nine matchdays.

Our view: Arsenal won less through their play than through their ability to deprive Anfield of what feeds it. Declan Rice, for his part, highlighted the solidarity of the back line after the match, while Mikel Arteta stressed how unpredictable this sport is. Most striking is the response within the week: knocked out on penalties at Fleetwood, in the fourth tier, on Tuesday, the champions leave Anfield as winners on Sunday.

On the Liverpool side, the frustration centres on Timber's hand on Isak's shirt. Andoni Iraola saw a clear penalty and lamented that it would have been given had his striker gone down. The argument is a fair one. It does not cover everything: no shot on target in 90 minutes weighs more heavily than one decision. The result ends a five-match unbeaten run in all competitions. Dominik Szoboszlai responded that getting back to the top would take time.

The individual numbers point the same way. Wirtz shoots three times without hitting the target and does not deliver a single key pass, Isak has two shots with no more success, Bradley Barcola wins 6 duels out of 18 despite 3 successful dribbles out of 6. In defence, Liverpool were not overrun all the same: Van Dijk wins 8 duels out of 9, Jérémy Jacquet adds 5 tackles and 3 interceptions. Havertz's game, meanwhile, is a thankless one outside his goal, with 5 duels won out of 15 and 3 fouls. A single action in the 16th minute therefore outweighed everything else, and that is precisely where the leaders' margin over their direct rivals lies.

Iraola looks for a second wind, Arteta locks it down

Iraola brings on Dominik Szoboszlai for Trey Nyoni in the 59th, then Rio Ngumoha for Cody Gakpo in the 67th. He throws everything at it in the 81st with three simultaneous changes: Konstantinos Tsimikas, Víctor Muñoz and Lewis Koumas replace Milos Kerkez, Ronald Araújo and Wirtz. Ngumoha shoots twice in 23 minutes without hitting the target, and the final quarter of an hour does not bring the shot that was missing.

Arteta responds with management: Myles Lewis-Skelly replaces Bruno Guimarães in the 62nd, Piero Hincapié comes on for Tzolis and Viktor Gyökeres for Havertz in the 84th, Mikel Merino for Martin Ødegaard in the 88th. The score did not change again.

Arsenal top, Liverpool already nine points adrift

Arsenal go top with 24 points after nine matchdays, three more than Manchester City and five more than Brighton. Liverpool stay fifth with 15 points, nine behind the leaders.

The next matchday offers each side no respite: Arsenal host Hull on Saturday 7 November, Liverpool travel to Crystal Palace on Sunday 8.

SNA Man of the Match: Declan Rice

The assist alone would justify the choice: it is his run into the box that creates the only goal. But Declan Rice above all made his weight felt over the long haul. He played the whole match, with 3 shots, 1 of them on target, 2 key passes, 3 tackles and 5 duels won out of 10, in a midfield where Bruno Guimarães lasted only 62 minutes. SNA rating: 8.5.