Fourteen years. Arsenal fans have carried that number around like a stone in their shoe, and on Sunday, November 1, Kai Havertz finally kicked it out. Arsenal beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield, ended a 14-year wait for a Premier League win there, and moved three points clear at the top of the table.
How Kai Havertz Won It at Anfield
It took just 16 minutes. Declan Rice delivered the cross, and Havertz turned it home at the back post. The move started with a stray Alisson pass, a gift Arsenal gladly accepted. The goal also made Havertz the Premier League’s all-time leading German scorer on 46, ahead of Ilkay Gündogan.
Liverpool Threw Everything at Arsenal
Do not mistake this for a smash-and-grab. Liverpool had 28 touches in Arsenal’s box before half-time, the most by any team in a first half against Arsenal since 2008-09. Florian Wirtz struck the woodwork. Even so, the Reds finished without a single shot on target. That is the Arsenal defensive wall at work.
The Isak Penalty Row
The loudest debate is about what the referee missed. Officials did not spot Jurriën Timber tugging Alexander Isak in the first half, which might have led to a penalty. Andoni Iraola said he believes it was a penalty. Arsenal fans, understandably, were not shedding tears.
Arteta’s Redemption Arc
Context makes this win sweeter. Four days earlier, Arsenal crashed out of the League Cup to fourth-tier Fleetwood in one of the biggest shocks in the competition’s history. Mikel Arteta said he was “extremely proud” and called the turnaround the magical part of the game.
His bold change helped too. He replaced Bruno Guimarães with the more attacking Myles Lewis-Skelly on 62 minutes, and Liverpool got little of note in the second half. Only one Premier League ground is left where Arteta has never won: Manchester City’s.
What This Means for the Premier League Title Race
The table now looks very pleasant from north London. Arsenal sit on 24 points, three clear of Manchester City. They are nine clear of Liverpool. There is a City twist as well. City are expected to face a severe points penalty unless they overturn their guilty verdict, which makes Arsenal’s win a blow to their most likely rivals. The travelling fans even taunted Anfield with chants of “Campeones.”
Caution is still sensible. It is only early November, and Arsenal travel to Slavia Prague in the Champions League on Wednesday. Still, the Anfield curse is dead, the defence is stingy, and Havertz keeps scoring the big goals.
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