Arsenal Overtakes Manchester City for Premier League Lead
A defensive masterclass at Anfield secured the club's first victory on that ground in 14 years, extending their lead to three points.
By Samir Doyle ·
Arsenal took the top spot in the Premier League after a 1-0 victory over Liverpool on Sunday.
Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the match in the 16th minute. The German forward slotted a close-range finish at the back post after Declan Rice delivered a low cross across the face of the goal. This strike gave Havertz 46 goals in the league, moving him past Ilkay Gundogan to become the all-time leading German scorer in Premier League history.
The result ended a 14-year drought for Arsenal at Anfield. The last time the club won at that venue was in 2012, a season when current manager Mikel Arteta was playing in the midfield. The win gives Arsenal eight victories in the current campaign and places them three points ahead of Manchester City. They also hold a five-point lead over Brighton, the only team to have beaten the champions this season.
Liverpool’s defeat interrupts a five-game winning streak. The hosts had only previously lost to Manchester City earlier in the season. Despite a furious effort in the final 25 minutes of the first half, Liverpool failed to register a single shot on target. Florian Wirtz hit the crossbar with a free kick, and Alexis Mac Allister headed a ball wide. Multiple penalty appeals by the home side were dismissed by the officials.
The decisive moment stemmed from an error by Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker. He attempted a short pass from a goal kick that was intercepted by Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard. This mistake set up the counterattack that led directly to Havertz’s goal. Midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai noted the inconsistency in Liverpool’s form, stating that some days feel like the team is at the top while others feel like they are not even close.
Arsenal maintained a solid defensive structure throughout the match. It marked the club's sixth clean sheet in nine games. Declan Rice credited the defensive unit’s cohesion for the result, describing the togetherness of the back line as something he had never seen before. This performance follows a surprising elimination from the English League Cup by fourth-tier Fleetwood Town five days earlier, a result Arteta called unpredictable.
Manchester City has lost two consecutive league matches, dropping to second place. The team fell to Aston Villa last weekend and Brighton on Saturday. These results, combined with Arsenal’s win at Anfield, solidify the Gunners' position at the head of the table as they continue their title defense.
