Dominik Szoboszlai struck a superb late free kick to give Liverpool a 1-0 victory against Arsenal in a tense Premier League meeting at Anfield.
The match appeared destined for stalemate until the Hungarian midfielder bent a brilliant shot beyond David Raya in the 83rd minute, sparking wild celebrations from the Kop.
Arsenal’s evening began in difficulty when William Saliba limped off after only five minutes, forcing Mikel Arteta to introduce new signing Cristhian Mosquera. Liverpool thought they had taken the lead in the first half, but Hugo Ekitike’s close-range finish was ruled out for offside.
Chances remained scarce as both sides cancelled each other out, with Arsenal’s best opening falling to Noni Madueke, whose strike was saved by Alisson. Viktor Gyokeres toiled in attack but was well marshalled by Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate. Arteta eventually introduced £60m summer signing Eberechi Eze for the final stages, yet his impact was limited.
For Liverpool, this was another demonstration of champions finding a way. Jürgen Klopp’s side head into the international break with three wins from three, all secured by late goals. They overcame Bournemouth and Newcastle in similar fashion and once again showed their resilience to edge past a major rival.
Liverpool may not yet have found the fluency that carried them to last season’s title, but they sit top of the table with maximum points and momentum. The club remain active in the market, pursuing Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi to reinforce their defence, while speculation continues over Newcastle striker Alexander Isak.
Arsenal, meanwhile, were left frustrated after believing they had done enough to secure a point. Their wait for a league victory at Anfield now stretches to 13 games, a run dating back to 2012. While the defeat is not decisive at this stage of the season, it underlines the scale of the challenge they face to overhaul Liverpool.
For all Arsenal’s defensive organisation, it was Szoboszlai’s touch of class that proved the difference, once again reminding the league that Liverpool remain relentless in their pursuit of silverware.