One moment, no points: Szoboszlai’s late free-kick denies organised Arsenal at Anfield

Arsenal arrived at Anfield prepared to be pragmatic and were seconds from banking a result many would have accepted beforehand, only for Dominik Szoboszlai’s 83rd‑minute free-kick from 30 yards to give Liverpool a 1-0 win. In a match where both teams prized control over chaos, the decisive act was a piece of precision that left David Raya no chance and the Gunners empty‑handed.

Mikel Arteta’s side shaded a low‑chance first half despite an early setback when William Saliba was forced off injured after five minutes, replaced by Cristhian Mosquera. With Bukayo Saka absent and £60m signing Eberechi Eze held back until the late stages, Arsenal’s plan prioritised solidity, aggressive pressing and composure playing out from the back. It worked—until it didn’t.

Arteta’s plan works—until a magic moment

The manager set a tone of resistance and control, starting Mikel Merino in the No 10 role with Martin Ødegaard not fully fit and encouraging Martín Zubimendi to steer the build-up. The visitors could feel the jeopardy when passing from deep, but their patterns clicked often enough to quieten Anfield in the early exchanges.

Arsenal’s best first‑half threat came through Noni Madueke’s pace against Milos Kerkez, the winger twice nearly bursting free and later testing Alisson after a corner broke his way. Liverpool’s standout moment before the break followed a Raya error, with Virgil van Dijk outmuscling Zubimendi before choosing a pass to Mohamed Salah. It was a half of small wins and smaller risks.

Thin margins, mounting tension

Arsenal’s shape held as Liverpool raised their line after half-time. Declan Rice made a vital block on Salah and the back line dealt with a swirling atmosphere as the Kop urged Liverpool forward. Viktor Gyökeres endured a bruising duel against Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil van Dijk, often starved of clean service.

The key incident that threatened to swing it before the winner came when Florian Wirtz’s low strike forced an untidy spill from Raya. Cody Gakpo was then cleaned out by the goalkeeper, an obvious penalty were it not for offside. The ball deflected in off Mosquera but still would not stand. Earlier, Hugo Ekitike had a close‑range finish for Liverpool chalked off for offside in front of the Kop. Every edge was contested; nothing was given away.

The decisive free-kick and the search for ruthlessness

Then came the moment nobody could legislate for. From 30 yards, Szoboszlai’s free‑kick bent and dipped viciously, finding the space inside Raya’s right-hand post and leaving him clutching at air. Whether he might have shuffled across faster became irrelevant against the precision of the strike; it was execution few goalkeepers would have stopped.

Arteta introduced Ødegaard and debutant Eze on 70 minutes to add guile and thrust, and there were flashes to suggest their value. But the final action was missing, just as Gary Neville had warned Arsenal required—a ruthlessness to go for the kill. Gyökeres, for his part, fought a losing battle against Konaté’s physicality and van Dijk’s positioning.

Anfield remains unkind, but perspective matters

This ground continues to vex Arsenal: no league win here since 2012, a run that now stands at 13 visits. Still, context matters. This was their first defeat of the season—and their first against the ‘big six’ in 23—decided not by systemic failure but by a single, unstoppable strike.

The immediate task is to convert poise into punch. Nottingham Forest at the Emirates on 13 September offers the platform to respond before a Champions League opener away to Athletic Bilbao on 16 September. With Eze’s debut in the bank and Ødegaard building fitness, the blueprint is there; the finishing touch remains the next step.