Thank you very much for joining me, here is David Hytner’s report from Anfield.
Mikel Arteta: “I was very disappointed with he result, very proud of my players. Both teams elevated the game to a level, it was very even.
“It was going to be decided by either an individual error or a magic moment andit was a magic moment.
“You have to put the ball in the back of the net when you have it.
“In the warm up we lost Saliba, I was very proud of the players and how they executed the game.
Chris Boyle says: “While still very early, that felt very significant from a Liverpool perspective. While the overall performance was lacking, the defending was solid and Kerkez should take a lot of confidence. The attack will almost inevitably click consistently with more familiarity.”
Szoboszlai “We practised some free-kicks since the start of the season, I think this was a little bit further back. I was confident in myself, I tried it and finally [I scored]. I have practised a long time and Trent was taking them, he had an incredible shot.
“This shot I did not practise in the past few weeks but I had to take a risk. I knew that Raya likes to jump behind the wall, he is an unbelievable goalkeeper and a little more inside he saves it.”
“Wonder goal from Liverpool worthy of winning any game,” writes Nic Oatridge. “However Arsenal should have been less tentative because they had Liverpool on the ropes at times. Martinelli was kept on too long but, there was a lot to like about Manueki’s performance.”
Konate gives his shirt away to a young fan. That’s nice.
Joe Pearson says: “Kerkez must have been reading his reviews. He had an excellent match.”
Slot is wandering around the pitch applauding the fans. He knows that days like this are significant.
Phwoar! Liverpool showed why they are champions against a very good Arsenal team. It was the tightest of matches and the greatest piece of quality settled it.
Full time: Liverpool 1-0 Arsenal
Szoboszlai’s brilliant free-kick settles a tense match in Liverpool’s favour.
90+7 mins: Calafiori’s long throw isn’t immediately cleared and a cross is sent back in but this time Liverpool whack it away. There is a little VAR check for a potential handball but nothing is doing for Arsenal.
90+6 mins: Eze produces a beautiful touch to beat Szoboszlai at the byline but he can’t find a pass in the box.
After the delay with Timber, we should get another minute or two.
90+5 mins: Calafiori sends in a swirling cross from the left; Alisson is concerned by it and eventually tries to palm it away. The ball reaches down who shoots but his effort is blocked.
90+4 mins: Kerkez performs a fine tackle on Dowman and moves Liverpool up the pitch, finding Chiesa with a pass but Mosquera takes it off the Italian’s toes.
90+3 mins: Timber hobbles away in need of some fluids.
Liverpool are very happy to just clear their lines here and get the ball as far away as possible.
90+2 mins: Timber goes down with cramp after sending a cross over everyone. Arsenal will want him up quickly.
“Early days, miles to go etc etc,” writes Mary Waltz. “But this is a big loss for Arteta. Arsenal management gave him everything he could want and he comes up short. Again. [Assuming Liverpool holds on].”
90+1 mins: The Liverpool fans are booing Arsenal’s every touch. There are almost 10 red shirts behind the ball at this stage. Arsenal are putting pressure on.
90 mins: Arsenal have a corner on the right, Odegaard swings it in but Alisson punches it a long way.
Seven minutes added on.
89 mins: Dowman is on for Madueke.
88 mins: A cracking clearance from Gomez who beats Gyokeres to a drilled cross from Madueke. His Liverpool teammates give him plenty of pats on the back because it is a crucial intervention.
Wirtz is down having treatment. He will be replaced by Endo.
“I am sure you know this, as you do your research, but the Hungarian for traction engine, is gőztraktor,” writes Paul Griffin.
86 mins: Alisson comes out to end an Arsenal attack after good defensive work from Kerkez.
85 mins: Eze does his best to get his team back into it, driving into the box with Gomez on his shoulder. The Arsenal winger does down, thinking he’s had a push in the back but it is certainly not a penalty.
84 mins: Can Arsenal react?
GOAL! Jones is bundled over by Zubimendi and the Basque is booked. Liverpool have a free-kick around 30 yards from goal it a very central position. Salah, Szoboszlai and Gakpo have a chat about it. Van Dijk offers his opinion but walks off. The Hungarian eventually thwacks the most incredibly free-kick over the wall, curling and dipping perfectly into the top corner. Raya has no chance. It is one of the best free-kicks I have ever seen.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Arsenal (Szoboszlai 83)
BLOODY HELL!
Updated
80 mins: I think Chiesa has gone down the middle … does anyone have Alexander Isak’s number?
79 mins: Konate does some stretches and takes on a pouch of sustenance but it looks like his race is run. Does any have Marc Guehi’s number? Gomez pleases him and Chiesa is on for Ekitike.
Rick Harris says: “There seems to be a general reluctance among football managers to put their new big money signings straight into the team which I struggle to understand especially as in Arsenal’s case they have neither Saka or Odegaard available and the match is crying out for Eberi Eze to inject some quality and creativity into it.”
77 mins: Chiesa is prepared to come on but there is a little delay while Konate has some treatment. Seems to be a problem with his right leg. Gomez has gone to warm up.
76 mins: Eze gets his first chance to threaten and quickly glides beyond Szoboszlai but Arsenal are forced back.
Odegaard almost creates the perfect chance but his through ball is cut out by Konate at the last second.
74 mins: Szoboszlai pings a wonderful 60-yard pass across the pitch to Wirtz. The German lays it off to Salah, whose first touch let’s him down and sees his second blocked by an Arsenal shirt.
Liverpool get another corner and it almost results in a chance when Wirtz piledrives a shot from the edge of the box straight into Gabriel’s midriff. Things have definitely got more interesting here.
72 mins: Gakpo does well down the left but Timber is a worthy foe. It does result with Liverpool winning their first corner of the match. It is whipped to the edge of the six-yard box but Mosquera is there to head clear.
70 mins: Merino and Martinelli are the two to make way for Odegaard and Eze. The away end is joyous.
69 mins: Eze is ready. Odegaard is ready. Arteta must fancy Arsenal’s chances here.
68 mins: Salah clips a cross into the box and Raya teases the Liverpool players by not claiming the ball first time, but he does eventually take hold.
66 mins: At the very least, Anfield has livened up. There’s been an obvious increase in noise levels. They offer a further cheer after Gyokeres is booked for a catching Van Dijk from behind.
64 mins: Maybe the disallowed goal will liven this match up.
There is a bit of pinball on the edge of the Liverpool box. It concludes with Gabriel whacking a shot at Konate, who deflects it wide. Corner to Arsenal … Konate wins the original header and then Madueke whacks over.
62 mins: Jones is on for Liverpool’s first chance. Mac Allister is off.
60 mins: NO GOAL! A lot going on but the early verdict is Ekitike’s goal is ruled out. Wirtz shot, Raya parried, Gakpo followed in but was offside, meaning Ekitike’s bundled effort will not count.
Updated
60 mins: “To answer Peter Oh, looks like the last time both teams wore Adidas was in 1993-94. Carlsberg vs JVC,” confirms Russell Eberts.
59 mins: Raya pings a ball straight into the box and Madueke gets hold of it, showing some trickier to bamboozle the defends but his touch is a little heavy, allowing Alisson to bravely claim.
“I’d disagree with Stephen McCrossan’s description of this as a pun of mince because… where’s the beef?” asks Justin Kavanagh. “It feels more like a tofu burger or something, with the appearance of something meaty but actually lacking bite. Maybe the introduction of Eze or Ngumoha will give us the sheep’s stomach it’s been lacking but the first half was tripe.”
57 mins: Liverpool are doing their best to probe Arsenal but they just seem to be going backwards, eventually reaching Allison. It could be part of a cunning plan as then they quickly go long, finding Salah but he cannot create anything.
Jones is readying himself to come on.
55 mins: Madueke does his best to get beyond Kerkez, showing plenty of tricky and direct running, eventually being rewarded with a corner. Liverpool easily clear.
“Since the match isn’t all that interesting (so far), can we talk fashion? When was the last time that this matchup was an all-Adidas affair?” asks Peter Oh.
53 mins: Mac Allister flicks a pass through to Gravenberch, who is confident after scoring against Newcastle but he gets neither the power nor accuracy required, sending his shot well wide.
51 mins: Martinelli throws himself down, thinking Szoboszlai being somewhere near him is worthy of a free-kick. The Brazilian is not having the best game. The defenders are the star turns here.
49 mins: Wirtz picks up the ball near the centre circle and turns to go forward but his pass is just in front of Mac Allister and the attack ends. Wirtz really needs to be playing ahead of Mac Allister here. It is strangely deep.
Ekitike tries to outsmart Calafiori near the byline but in the end fouls the Italian.
47 mins: “The game is there for Arsenal to win,” suggests Gary Neville. Should be a fun second half.
Johnathan Kaszynski writes: “Wirtz is having to drop way too deep to get the ball, and is being eaten alive in a midfield that he is too slight to play against. Slot needs to think about putting him on the left of the front three where he has a better chance of picking up the ball with some space to dribble.”
Second half
Here we go again!
“This feels like a World Cup opening group match,” according to Neill Brown. “Neither team wants to give anything away and they also want to save their energy for what will turn out to be more important matches.
“It will be interesting to see what substitutions get made, and when. I like Arsenal’s options more than Liverpool’s but I think Slot will work a bit of magic and there’ll be no talk of Eze or Dowman tomorrow.”
Dave Bolland writes: “Starting with Calafiori and Martinelli instead of Odegaard and Eze seems a bit like Inigo Montoya fighting Westley left-handed. Hello? Hopefully they switch to their dominant hand for the second half.”
“Last year at City, Arsenal almost pulled an amazing smash and grab but the dodgy red cost us,” emails Nic. “Here Arsenal have nullified the champions, shut up the crowd and are well on their way to a great result. Or are we all now on the gung ho band wagon entertainment first agenda? The inability to compliment Arsenal with their top three players out is suspicious! Where’s my roll of tin foil?”
I am not sure anyone has criticised Arsenal’s style of play here but the game in general has not been very watchable.
“Arteta must be thinking of replacing heft with guile, and Merino seems the most likely candidate for the hook. Nwaneri on, and is it time for He Who Must Be The Answer to be unleashed?” asks Charles Antaki.
“I would like to heartily endorse Stephen Winstanley’s pithy comments - this game is, to use a Glaswegian phrase, a pun (pound) of mince,” writes Stephen McCrossan. “I’m away to walk Mollie the dog.”
Half-time reading.
Half time: Liverpool 0-0 Arsenal
Not a classic first half of end-to-end action.
45 mins: Timber goes down in the box and claims he is the victim of a heinous foul. The referee is not particularly interested and nor is VAR.
One minute added on.
Updated
44 mins: Very much a match neither team want to lose. Liverpool should be a bit more adventurous but can’t find a gap in the Arsenal defence to exploit.
Rick Harris says: “I’m with Stephen Winstanley, the game is as dull as dishwater. Scrappy and lacking in quality. Hopefully the second half will be better.”
42 mins: Salah goes over to retrieve a pass but is clumsily bundled over by Gabriel, possibly to stop the forward flicking the ball past him.
40 mins: Merino chips a pass into Gyokeres, who lays it into the path of Timber to ping a shot which hits Van Dijk in the chest. The rebound reaches Calafiori, who sees his shot deflect wide. Rice finds the Italian in the box but he heads wide. The battles at corners are good fun and Liverpool are doing well against the best in the business.
38 mins: Rice swings it in from the left for the first time today but it goes over everyone and out the other side. Van Dijk is upset about something and has an argument with Merino after the midfielders does a terrible dive in the hope of winning a penalty.
36 mins: Zubimendi takes down Gakpo from behind and is penalised. The home fans want a yellow but the referee disagrees.
A sumptuous pass from Raya out to Madueke, allows the winger to cut into the box and shoot but his effort is deflected over. We have another corner …
34 mins: A dreadful pass out from Raya goes straight to Van Dijk, around 25 yards from goal. It should spell trouble for Arsenal but the Dutchman passes to Mac Allister and his effort is blocked.
Stephen Winstanley writes: “Please call the game as it is - absolute garbage from both teams.” Like a tense game of chess.
32 mins: Alisson almost gets himself in trouble but just about clears the ball from his goal-line before Gyokeres can nick it off him.
30 mins: Gravenberch goes into the book for clipping Calafiori’s ankles to end a bursting run. Rice inexplicably decides to shoot from 45 yards and the free-kick flies very high and wide. He is rightly mocked by the home crowd.
“Arsenal must be slumping,” suggests Mary Waltz. “Three corners. No goals!!!!!!”
28 mins: It’s another corner to Arsenal. Rice does not beat the first man on this occasion.
Liverpool also try being more direct but Ekitike would need a car to chase Szoboszlai’s overhit pass.
26 mins: Timber bundles over Gakpo after a healthy battle. Looks 50:50 to me but the referee disagrees. Van Dijk gets some instructions from Slot and heads into the box to attack the free-kick. The words of wisdom from the coach are not immediately relevant as Wirtz whacks the ball straight out of play.
24 mins: Liverpool are yet to find much in the way of rhythm in the final third. Salah plays a cute through ball for Ekitike to chase but it has too much power on it and goes straight through to Raya.
“They say that once is tragedy; twice is coincidence; three times is energy action. With that in mind, seeing Saliba join Ødegaard and Saka out three games in, should the Gunners be concerned?” asks Joe Scott. Will be interesting to find out what Saliba’s issue is.
Updated
22 mins: The Madueke v Kerkez battle looks like it could be fun. The winger is given a ball over the top to chase and he gets ahead of the full-back, who eventually gets back at him but is forced to giveaway another corner.
Rice takes again and a Liverpool head flicks it out to Madueke on the edge of the box. The wingers takes a touch and fires towards the bottom corner, only to see Alisson make a fine save.
Updated
20 mins: Salah wants a foul after Calafiori uses his strength to get in front of him to nick the ball away. The referee is right to award nothing.
Kerkez wins a free-kick off Madueke, then they enjoy a little push to show they are up for it.
18 mins: Salah beautifully controls a crossfield pass on his chest but then chips a cross straight to Raya.
Down the other end, Madueke drives at Kerkez and wins a corner off the Liverpool full-back. A first test for the Liverpool defence from an Arsenal set-piece. Rice swings it outwards from the right but no one can make contract. There is a brief VAR check for something or other but it comes to nothing.
16 mins: Raya then has to do likewise following another woeful backpass but the Spaniard does the job well. The coaches will not be happy with the sloppiness on show in the past few minutes.
14 mins: Liverpool have enjoyed 70% possession in the early stages. Gakpo is the first to make the most of that. He cuts in from the left and fires a shot from 20 yards or so but drags it wide of the post.
There is danger at the other end after Gravenberch flicks the ball backwards. Gyokeres gets a yard on Szoboszlai and looks favourite to win it but Alisson reads the situation perfectly and solves the issue.
12 mins: Arsenal are happy to knock it long today, allowing Gyokeres to test the Liverpool centre-backs. On this occasion, the ball is retrieved by the hosts and they send it straight back down the other end. Not that the attack comes to anything.
10 mins: I say that and then Arsenal take an age of a free-kick 40 yards from their own goal.
Wirtz beats Rice to a 50:50 inside the Liverpool half to instigate a counter attack and it sends the ball up to Salah on the edge of the box but Calafiori does well to win it.
Arsenal then do pretty similar but Martinelli keeps hold of the ball when he should pass and the attack ends.
8 mins: Arsenal are doing their best to hurry things up here as they look to get on the front foot after having to defend in the very early minutes.
6 mins: It’s been a mixed bag of weather in the north-west so far today but the pitch is currently bathed in sunshine.
5 mins: Saliba sits on the ground and immediately looks over to the the bench. Mosquera is already prepared to come on. An early blow for Arsenal.
Updated
4 mins: Salah gets his first touch of the match and drives Liverpool up the pitch. Arsenal are looking well-disciplined and force the hosts back.
2 mins: Liverpool enjoy the early possession, knocking around the back calmly. Arsenal are doing their best to unsettle their opponents but it is yet to work.
1 min: Rice kicks off and punts the ball into the corner and straight out of play in an attempt to put Liverpool on the back off.
Kick off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
“Mary Waltz must be enjoying life right now. Her Everton have a sparkling new stadium and a sparkling new assist machine in Jack Grealish. No matter what happens during the rest of the day, they will enter the international break in 5th. Good for her!” writes Joe Pearson*.
*Unrepentant Reds fans who has a soft spot for Everton (some close friends are supporters), and Premier League tribalism is not as virulent on this side of the pond.
Here come the teams ...
Jonathan Wilson saw Brighton beat Manchester City.
Joe Scott writes: “Am sure it could be journalistic hyperbole, but calling this a ‘title-decider’ seems rather premature- the last 7/8 years with City have conditioned us to think title challengers need 90/95+ points. But are we maybe seeing a return to the days where the bar is a bit lower? Liverpool scored 84 and were considered to have strolled to the title- so perhaps an adjustment of expectations is in order?”
I’ll be honest, it was a joke.
Ben Fisher was at the City Ground to see West Ham shock Forest.
Krishnamoorthy gets in touch: “With the surreal table where United is placed above City, and at the risk of calling a match day three encounter as a title decider (or at least an indicator) may it just not end in a draw. Liverpool has not been in an invincible mode and the original invincibles can stamp their intent today.”
A big day for teenagers on the bench.
Great commitment from Mary Waltz: “My Sunday football started out at 4am and the Old Firm crap sandwich made me question the direction of my life. But watching Brighton stun City restored my faith and this Liverpool Arsenal fixture is going to be a banger.”
Arne Slot speaks: “It is mainly about the three points. Like the last two games we had to play, which was difficult for us - this is another difficult one.
“Last season at the Emirates it was 2-2 and at Anfield it was 2-2. This tells you that when these teams play each other it is always a close call.
“Five years together and Mikel has done a great job. If you look at the line-up, they could potentially go a bit more direct as well. We expect a lot, and we are prepared for that.”
Eric Peterson writes: “So Michael Salisbury, the VAR for Chelsea-Fulham yesterday, has been replaced as VAR for this one today. What do we call it when VAR VAR’s VAR?”
Let’s hope VAR is not involved much today. I was at Old Trafford yesterday and I’ve had enough of it.
Charles Antaki emails: “So a few non-starters for Arsenal - Ødegaard (shoulder), Saka (hamstring), Eze (Huge Weight of Expectation). Time will tell whether all those come good.”
Drew Lundgren emails: “Merino & Martinelli eh? I guess it wouldn’t be fair for Arsenal to play their best available 11 while Liverpool are in such bad form.”
Well … Brighton have beaten City. All eyes to Anfield …
Eze begins life at Arsenal with a watching brief.
Brighton are beating City. Will the title be decided at Anfield today?
Being out and about this season, I am yet to see too much of Liverpool and Arsenal, so I am very excited to see Wirtz and Ekitike in action.
Busy on 11 September? If not, get yourself down to the Troxy in London for Football Weekly Live. I am not on the bill but that should not stop you.
In the meantime … Brighton v Man City is quite lively. Tim de Lisle has the latest.
I guess the big news from the teamsheet is that Eze begins on the bench. Not a bad player to have up your sleeve, mind.
Lineups
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike.
Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Chiesa, Jones, Elliott, Robertson, Bradley, Ngumoha.
Arsenal (4-3-2-1): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice, Merino; Madueke, Martinelli; Gyokeres
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Lewis-Skelly, Mosquera, Odegaard, Nwaneri, Dowman, Eze, Trossard, Harriman-Annous.
Arne Slot and Mikel Arteta held their weekly press conferences.
Get your pre-match reading from …
… Barney Ronay and …
Jonathan Wilson.
Preamble
We have the biggest game of the season so far. Last season’s one and two meet an Anfield, arriving with 100% after a couple of fixtures each. It should be rather delicious Sunday main course.
New signings are trying to find their feet still and neither have been perfect while collecting six points. Anfield will be lively because Liverpool will want to put down a marker. Hugo Ekitike is looking settled already and has added a new dimension to the forward line.
Arsenal’s own new striker got on the scoresheet in the thrashing on Leeds but this will be his first big test. If Viktor Gyokeres can unsettle Virgil van Dijk, then it will give him confidence. Eberichi Eze could/should make his Gunners debut at some point and we might get another glimpse of Max Dowden. There is plenty of intrigue to be enjoyed.
It should be an intriguing – and hopefully entertaining – encounter.
Kick-offL 4.30pm BST
