Liverpool 0-1 Arsenal: Kai Havertz ends 14-year wait at Anfield

Kai Havertz scored the only goal as Arsenal beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield on Sunday, the club's first Premier League win there since 2012. The result takes Arsenal three points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table and nine ahead of fifth-placed Liverpool.

Match facts

• Result: Liverpool 0-1 Arsenal (half-time 0-1)
• Competition: Premier League, Matchweek 9 (kick-off 16:30 UK)
• Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
• Scorers: Arsenal - Havertz 16'
• Red cards: None
• Next: Fenerbahçe v Liverpool and Slavia Prague v Arsenal, Champions League, Wednesday 4 November; Arsenal v Hull City, Saturday 7 November; Crystal Palace v Liverpool, Sunday 8 November

How the match unfolded

Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola handed 19-year-old Trey Nyoni his full Premier League debut, one of seven changes from the midweek Carabao Cup win over Chelsea. Christos Tzolis returned to the Arsenal attack for his first start since September.

The breakthrough came in the 16th minute. Alisson's short pass out to Jérémy Jacquet was poorly weighted, Martin Ødegaard won the ball, and Declan Rice overlapped Noni Madueke on the right before sliding a low cross across the six-yard box for Havertz to tap in at the far post. The goal was Havertz's 46th in the Premier League, taking him past Ilkay Gündoğan as the competition's highest-scoring German player.

Liverpool pushed hard for the rest of the half. Their loudest penalty appeal came when Jurriën Timber held Alexander Isak's shirt as the striker tried to reach a Bradley Barcola cross, but no penalty was given and VAR did not intervene. At the other end, Bruno Guimarães shot wide and Alisson saved from Rice in the 25th minute.

Florian Wirtz hit the crossbar with a free-kick from the left in the 39th minute, and four minutes later Alexis Mac Allister headed Milos Kerkez's cross over the bar from a free position.

The second half was tighter. Isak fired over from a tight angle in the 56th minute, and Dominik Szoboszlai, back from injury, replaced Nyoni three minutes later. Mikel Arteta sent on Myles Lewis-Skelly for Guimarães in the 62nd minute, and Arsenal began to threaten again on the break. In the 73rd minute Alisson made a fine one-handed save to stop Tzolis' first-time shot heading into the far corner.

Iraola made a triple change in the 81st minute, bringing on Kostas Tsimikas, Víctor Muñoz and Lewis Koumas, but Arsenal held firm through six minutes of stoppage time. Liverpool finished with 17 attempts and none on target. Virgil van Dijk was booked at the final whistle for sarcastically applauding referee Andy Madley.

What did the managers say?

"Fourteen years without winning here is a long time," Arteta told BBC Match of the Day. The win was also Arsenal's 300th away victory in the Premier League, according to the club, and followed their midweek Carabao Cup exit on penalties at League Two Fleetwood Town.

Iraola was angry about the Isak incident. "The Alex one is a clear penalty. You hold the shirt, we can all see that he holds the shirt," he told Sky Sports.

What happens next?

Arsenal have 24 points from nine games, ahead of Manchester City, who lost 1-0 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. Liverpool, who beat Brighton 2-0 at Anfield last weekend, stay fifth on 15 points.

Both clubs are away in the Champions League on Wednesday, Arsenal at Slavia Prague and Liverpool at Fenerbahçe. Arsenal then host Hull City on Saturday, and Liverpool visit Crystal Palace on Sunday. More results are in our Premier League section.

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