Mikel Arteta Reacts As Arsenal Defeat Liverpool 1–0 at Anfield To Go Top of Premier League
- Arsenal won at Anfield for the first time in 14 years after Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the match in the 16th minute
- Liverpool had two penalty appeals waved away and Florian Wirtz hit the crossbar as the Reds failed to find an equaliser
- Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta spoke to the media after the victory, describing what the result means for the club and the title race
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Arsenal ended a 14-year wait for a Premier League win at Anfield on Sunday, November 1, beating Liverpool 1-0 to move three points clear at the top of the table and seize control of the title race.
Kai Havertz grabbed the only goal of the game in the 16th minute, turning home a cross from Declan Rice at the back post.
Source: Getty Images
From that point, Arsenal were forced to absorb relentless Liverpool pressure across both halves, defending with discipline and resilience to hold on for a famous away victory.
How Arsenal held on at Anfield
Liverpool pressed Arsenal hard for large portions of the match and came close on several occasions.
David Raya made a key intervention to deny Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz struck the crossbar from a free-kick, and the home side had two penalty appeals turned down by the referee.
Late in the game, substitute Christos Tzolis came close to doubling the lead, but Alisson produced a brilliant one-handed save to keep the scoreline tight.
According to Sky Sports, Arsenal's win came on the same day Manchester City lost to Brighton, meaning the Gunners capitalised fully on their rivals' slip-up.
The Gunners are now top of the Premier League table with 24 points, three points ahead of closest challengers Man City.
Arteta reacts after Arsenal's crucial win
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was open about what the result meant to him and the club, speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the final whistle.
"This was especially for everyone attached to this football club," Arteta told the BBC.
"Fourteen years without winning here is a long time. We just said after the last few days, after the defeat against Fleetwood, that things happen for a reason and that's going to give us another spring and hunger and belief to go and do it. What the team has done here today is incredible."
He praised the players for the way they handled Liverpool's attacking threat.
"The game is going to turn in a different direction very quickly. The way they attack, they can generate vertical attacks almost from a bad clearance or a bad throw, that's the quality that they have. And you have to be prepared, immediately to react to that with 60 metres to defend with four or five players running into your box."
Arteta also highlighted Rice's role beyond the assist.
"Not just that, first of all, the movement to recognise the open situation to make the overlap, the timing of him playing the two vs one in the right manner and arriving from the far side constantly in the right space is something we discussed."
On the title race and what comes next
Despite the significance of the result, Arteta was careful not to look too far ahead.
"Today is too early. Let's enjoy this incredible victory with the players and staff and tomorrow we start to prepare for another big, big night in Prague," he said.
He also reflected on what victories at historic grounds mean to him personally.
"I love it when it's something we have not done for many years. It was the same with Chelsea away and Manchester United away. To be able to beat all those, that's the purpose and motivation and why we do what we do."
Supercomputer predicts Liverpool vs Arsenal clash
Legit.ng previously reported about Opta’s prediction for Arsenal’s Premier League trip to Liverpool, including both teams’ chances of winning and their injury concerns.
The Gunners have gone 13 league matches without a win at Anfield, leaving them one game away from an unwanted club record.
Source: Legit.ng
