Szoboszlai 30-yard screamer makes Arteta pay for lack of bravery

DOMINIK SZOBOSZLAI leathered home a 32-yard free-kick to settle the world’s most expensive game of cat and mouse.

Two teams who had spent more than half a billion pounds between them could not be separated until the 83rd minute when stand-in right-back Szoboslai struck the winning blow.

6 Dominik Szoboszlai scored a stunning free-kick to beat Arsenal Credit: Getty

6 The sensational strike could be pivotal in the title race come the end of the season Credit: Reuters

For Arne Slot’s champions, it was a third successive late win to leave them two points clear at the top of the pile.

And Liverpool, who have already shelled out £290million in this transfer window, could yet land Alexander Isak and Marc Guehi on deadline day tomorrow.

For Arsenal, it was a sickening finale after a strong defensive performance had threatened a third consecutive clean sheet.

In a game of few chances, £67.5m new boy Eberechi Eze - who arrived as second-half sub - had a late penalty shout turned down as Mikel Arteta’s side left it too late to breach a Liverpool defence, which had corrected their own early-season difficulties.

Even in August, this was a fixture which felt it could be seriously significant in the title - a clash between last season’s top two and the two biggest spenders in world football this summer, who were defending the last remaining 100 per cent records in the Premier League.

While Arsenal arrived on the back of two clean sheets, the champions had tossed away two-goal leads in both of their previous matches only to win them late on.

It is now 13 years since Arsenal won a Premier League match at Anfield - Arteta was a Gunner player back then.

The Spaniard resisted the temptation to hand a start to Eze, despite Martin Odegaard only being fit enough to start on the bench after hurting his shoulder in the 5-0 drubbing of Leeds.

Instead, Mikel Merino started in midfield - while Alexis Mac Allister returned for Liverpool, with Szoboszlai still filling in at right-back.

Just four minutes in, Arsenal’s injury jinx struck again - William Saliba fell awkwardly under a challenge from Hugo Ekitike and was replaced by Cristhian Mosquera, a summer signing from Valencia.

ARSENAL suffered late heartache away at Anfield.

Dominik Szoboszlai produced a stunning 32-yard free-kick seven minutes from time to grab the only goal of the game.

The 1-0 result could have major ramifications on the title race come May.

But despite the defeat, how did Mikel Arteta's men get on?

CLICK HERE TO READ SUNSPORT'S JORDAN DAVIES' ARSENAL PLAYER RATINGS

It was a tense, tight opening quarter - both sides better without the ball than with it.

Cody Gakpo fizzed a shot narrowly wide and Noni Madueke - in lively form as Bukayo Saka’s understudy - won a couple of early corners and had a shot pushed out by a sprawling Alisson.

From one corner, Mac Allister was probed for grappling with Merino - yet the VAR bar had been set back to high.

This, after the atrocious decision to disallow Josh King’s goal for Fulham at Chelsea , which led to the guilty official Michael Salisbury being shunted out of Stockley Park for this match .

Liverpool were struggling for rhythm, with Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi both impressive on patrol in midfield.

ARSENAL never looked like scoring in their cagey 1-0 defeat to Liverpool.

Here is SunSport Arsenal correspondent Charlie Wyett's verdict...

ARTETA HAS TO TAKE MUCH OF THE BLAME

If Mikel Arteta is to lead Arsenal to the title, he has to be braver when his team is in a strong position.

The  coach left it too late to make his changes, bringing on Eberechi Eze and Odegaard in the 70th minute when Liverpool were taking a grip.

Six points out of nine is not bad but Arsenal have difficult games coming up against Newcastle and Manchester City.

Gunners were unbeaten in their previous 22 matches against the Big Six. That impressive run stretched back to a defeat at Manchester City in April 2023. Importantly, none of their victories came away at arch rivals Liverpool and City.

The last time Arsenal won at Anfield was in 2012 at the start of the Brendan Rodgers era — with Arteta playing that day.

MERINO LOVES AN ANFIELD SCRAP  — BUT THERE’S NOT ENOUGH CREATIVITY IN MIDFIELD

Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino was a surprise starter, with Gabriel Martinelli the other change from the 5-0 win over Leeds.

Last term Merino scored in both the home and away matches, while he also got a second yellow card at Anfield.

He did his best to unsettle the home defence, particularly at corners, even though teammate Declan Rice failed to cause any problems from the set-pieces.

Players have been warned  there will be a clampdown on wrestling between players. But Kop midfielder Alexis Mac Allister was involved in a skirmish with Merino, although a VAR check offered nothing.

Merino should then have been given a booking for throwing himself to the ground theatrically to try to get a pen following another wayward Rice corner.

And despite annoying Liverpool at set-pieces, Merino was unable to unlock the home defence with Noni Madueke Arsenal’s most effective forward by some distance.

Marquee signing Viktor Gyokeres, like in the first game at Manchester United, was once again feeding off scraps.

GUNNERS’ INJURY NIGHTMARE — WILL IT EVER END?

New season, same old story for Arsenal’s medical staff, who certainly earn their dosh. You have to wonder what boss Mikel Arteta does to his side in training.

Arsenal went into this game with Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Ben White and Christian Norgaard all sidelined, while Gabriel Jesus is a long-term absentee.

Captain Martin Odegaard was only fit enough for the bench.

There were under four minutes on the clock when William Saliba fell to the ground after a challenge with Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike.

Cristhian Mosquera — a £13million arrival from Valencia — was quickly stripped and ready.

At Leeds the previous week, he made his Premier League debut because Jurrien Timber is having his minutes managed as he returns from injury.

And he delivered a solid, encouraging performance.

Madueke had a shot deflected over and each time Rice stood over a corner kick, The Kop seemed to collectively inhale - yet Liverpool were keeping the set-piece masters in check.

Finally on the hour, Liverpool conjured a shot on target - Florian Wirtz’s effort spilled by David Raya to Cody Gakpo, who was felled by the Arsenal keeper as Hugo Ekitike bundled over the line - yet Gakpo had been offside from the initial shot.

Viktor Gyokeres, struggling for service , was yellow-carded for a nasty challenge on Virgil van Dijk.

Then, midway through the second half, came Eze and Odegaard - in place of the ineffective Gabriel Martinelli and Merino.

6 Cody Gakpo was offside before Hugo Ekitike bundled home Credit: Sky Sports

6 Mikel Arteta was undone by a suckerpunch Credit: AFP

6 William Saliba hobbled off after going down injured with just four minutes on the clock Credit: Getty

6 Eberechi Eze came off the bench and saw a late penalty appeal turned down Credit: Getty

They arrived just as Liverpool were beginning to pin Arsenal back.

Ibrahima Konate, who had been excellent after a dodgy start to the season, suffered a thigh injury and was replaced by Joe Gomez, Federico Chiesa also arriving in place of Ekitike.

And then the breakthrough finally arrived - Zubimendi upending sub Curtis Jones and Szoboszlai hammering home an effort which glanced off the post and left Raya helpless.

Eze then found space in the penalty area and was nudged over by Gomez but ref Chris Kavanagh turned it down and the VAR high bar saved Liverpool.

DOMINIK SZOBOSZLAI'S sensational free-kick was the difference as Liverpool earned a massive win over Arsenal.

Here's what SunSport's Charlie Wyett learned about the new-look champions...

A NEW RECORD

It looked as though Liverpool would not find a way past Arsenal keeper David Raya until a moment of brilliance from Dominik Szoboszlai.

The Hungarian’s stunning winner meant the Reds set a new club record of scoring in 37 consecutive games in the top-flight.

Their current run of 36 was level with a run between March 2019 and February 2020.

Also impressive is the fact they have now scored in 40 of their 41 games under Arne Slot which is 97.5 per cent, the highest percentage by any manager in Premier League history.

Against Arsenal, they only managed three shots on target and this was a reminder that Liverpool fans must be patient with new arrivals Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike.

Wirtz, who has arrived in a deal worth £116.6m, was guilty of playing too deeply as the no 10 position and he was far too close to Declan Rice to cause problems at the other end.

This also meant that there was often a huge gap between Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike although the £79m signing from Frankfurt thought he had scored the opener although it was ruled out for offside.

In the end, they were bailed out by Szoboszlai.

LIFE AFTER TRENT

Trent Alexander-Arnold will be returning to Anfield on November 4 for his Champions League trip with Real Madrid and he will certainly need his earplugs in.

By then, you will assume that central midfielder Szoboszlai will not still be starting at right-back although he certainly impressed - and he pinged some crossfield passes which Alexander-Arnold would have been proud. And then he scored the blockbuster winner.

Szoboszlai started in this position for a second successive game due to £29m new arrival Jeremie Frimpong suffering a hamstring injury on his Premier League debut against Bournemouth.

Conor Bradley, who returned from a hamstring injury himself to come off the bench at Newcastle, will have been annoyed at not starting yesterday.

Slot also has other options as a right-back as Curtis Jones, Wataru Endo and Joe Gomez can play there.

SOLID AS A ROCK

Alisson had only faced six shots in his previous two games but conceded four goals.

Yet Liverpool, quite rightly criticised against Bournemouth and Newcastle, defended well throughout against Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s team are known for being devastating at corners but although they had eight at Anfield, they did not threaten.

Declan Rice was trying outswinging corners to try and bend the ball away from Alisson although centre-back  Ibrahima Konate was particularly impressive.

He has been a bit ropey in these opening few weeks and you can see why Liverpool are still hoping to secure Marc Guehi, however unlikely this might now be.

But Konate played well and his fine performance was ruined near the end when he went off the pitch with cramp.

Three wins from three is a decent start for the champions, particularly as they have not played that well.