Havertz ends Arsenal's 14-year Anfield wait as Liverpool fire blanks

Arsenal beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield on Sunday 1 November, with Kai Havertz's 16th-minute goal securing their first Premier League win at the ground since 2012 and moving Mikel Arteta's side three points clear at the top of the table.

The result, combined with Manchester City's defeat by Brighton on the same day, leaves Arsenal on 24 points after nine matches. Liverpool sit fifth on 15, nine points behind the leaders, according to BBC Sport.

The goal came early. Declan Rice delivered a ball across the face of goal and Havertz arrived at the back post to turn it in from close range. That was the only moment the home crowd of 60,406 saw the net move.

Liverpool's blunt afternoon

Liverpool had plenty of shots, but no accuracy. BBC Sport counted 17 attempts on goal for Andoni Iraola's side, none of them on target.

Their best chance fell to Florian Wirtz, whose free-kick struck the crossbar. Liverpool FC described that moment as the closest the hosts came to an equaliser.

There were also two penalty appeals waved away, BBC Sport reported, including one after Jurrien Timber pulled Alexander Isak's shirt inside the box. Iraola had no doubt about that one.

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

The Liverpool manager was honest about the rest of the performance, too. "We definitely deserved to score but weren't able," he said, before adding: "We wanted another result definitely today. We are to the blame, especially from the beginning of the game."

It was Liverpool's second defeat under Iraola, and it came after the side had won five matches, according to BBC Sport. Liverpool FC noted that the manager had made seven changes from the midweek Carabao Cup victory over Chelsea, including a full Premier League debut for Trey Nyoni.

Arsenal bounce back from Fleetwood

For Arsenal, this was the response Arteta wanted after a midweek Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Fleetwood Town. Anfield has been a graveyard for them in the league for a long time; Sky Sports framed the win as their first there in 14 years.

"Extremely proud. It's been 14 years, that's a long time," Arteta told BBC Sport. "I'm sure we made everybody attached to the club extremely proud today. Not only for the victory but for the way we've done it, the spirit we've shown."

Rice, who provided the assist, was quick to credit the scorer. "I am so happy for Havertz because he deserved that goal and ultimately the 1-0 win," he said.

The goal carried a personal landmark as well. According to ESPN, it took Havertz to 46 Premier League goals, moving him past Ilkay Gündogan as the competition's highest-scoring German player.

ESPN lists Arsenal's record as eight wins and one defeat from nine league games, a start that has given them breathing room at the top even after City's slip. Liverpool's four wins, three draws and two defeats tell a different story, and the gap between the two clubs now stands at nine points before November has properly begun.

What comes next

Both teams turn to Europe midweek. Liverpool travel to Fenerbahçe in the Champions League on Wednesday 4 November at 17:45 UTC, while Arsenal are away to Slavia Praha the same evening at 20:00 UTC. Manchester City, now second, visit RB Leipzig at the same time.

Back in domestic football, BBC Sport lists Arsenal's next match as a home game against Hull City, while Liverpool head to Crystal Palace, where Iraola will be looking for the shots to start finding the target again.