Arsenal won at Anfield for the first time in 14 years. Kai Havertz scored the only goal in the 16th minute on Sunday 1 November 2026, and the Gunners moved to the top of the Premier League.
The last time Arsenal won a league game at Anfield was September 2012, when Mikel Arteta was still playing for the club. Before this game Opta had them on a run of 13 winless league visits (five draws, eight defeats). They had never gone 14 without a win there in their league history, and this win stopped the run at 13.
The goal came from a Liverpool mistake. Alisson tried to play out from the back and his pass to Jérémy Jacquet gave the defender no chance of keeping the ball. Arsenal won it high up the pitch and moved it to the right, where Noni Madueke and Declan Rice combined. Rice then delivered a precise cross to the far post and Havertz finished from close range.
Opta described Alisson’s pass as “ropey” and Rice’s cross as one that put the ball on a plate for Havertz. Coaches’ Voice also pointed to the Arsenal pressure that forced the error in the first place. Arsenal had started on the front foot, so the lead felt deserved even though it came from a mistake.
Arsenal got ahead and defended. Arsenal started well, led, and then defended in a compact shape. Coaches’ Voice noted they built their early dominance through wide areas, where Tzolis was a regular outlet, before scoring after a high regain.
Liverpool had control but no composure. The Lines gave Liverpool a clear territorial edge, with more touches in the box and more passes in Arsenal’s half. The same analysis marked down their final-third play for lacking creativity against a deep block. They mostly resorted to getting the ball wide and crossing, where Arsenal’s defenders were strong in the air. The Lines noted that Konsa and Timber made four headed clearances each.
Arsenal’s defending was the story. Sky’s Gary Neville called it “a defensive masterclass”, and the numbers back him up. Arsenal kept their shape for long spells, and Havertz dropped into the defensive line when needed. Liverpool had plenty of the ball and many efforts, but almost nothing that tested Raya.
Liverpool’s finishing let them down. Wirtz’s free kick hit the bar and Mac Allister’s header was a big miss, and both could have changed the game. ESPN put Liverpool’s failure down partly to poor judgement and execution, and partly to bad luck.
The big talking point was Timber’s tug on Isak as the striker went for a header. The officials did not spot it, and VAR did not intervene, even though it had looked at the Gakpo and Tzolis incident. ESPN said that decision “will remain a question” for a while. Jamie Carragher on Sky urged VAR to do its job.
Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola called it a clear penalty and said the ball only missed Isak by about a centimetre. He argued Isak was honest in not going to ground, and said he would tell his players to go down in future situations like this.
Arsenal can say the game had other moments that went either way, such as the Gakpo and Tzolis incident that was also reviewed with no penalty given. But it is hard to argue that a shirt pull this visible should have been missed.
Arteta said winning at Anfield felt better as a manager because of how long it had been. He pointed to the context: Arsenal arrived after a defeat to Fleetwood and had to pick themselves up. He said the team knew they had to get everything right and survive the periods where they would suffer, describing Liverpool’s attacks as “chaos moments”. He also said his players “loved the mission”, and that the focus turns now to Prague.
Iraola said there were still things to improve, but that he loved the spirit and willingness in his team.
Arsenal are top with 24 points from nine games (eight wins, one defeat). That is three points clear of Manchester City and nine clear of Liverpool, who are fifth on 15 points.
For Arsenal, it is a statement win away at a ground that had troubled them for over a decade, achieved by defending well and taking their one clear chance. For Liverpool, it is a worrying result at home. They created plenty and had the territory, but lacked the quality to turn it into goals or even shots on target.
Opta’s pre-match numbers said Anfield was Arsenal’s worst ground in the league, and this result will not change that overall record overnight. But the curse is broken, and the way it was done suits Arteta’s team: tight, disciplined and ruthless with the chance they got.
