Havertz ends Arsenal's 14-year Anfield wait as Gunners go three clear

Kai Havertz’s first‑half goal gave Arsenal a 1–0 win at Liverpool, ending a 14‑year wait for a Premier League victory at Anfield and sending the defending champions three points clear at the top after nine games.

Match summary: early goal, defensive masterclass

Arsenal took the lead in the 16th minute when Declan Rice overlapped Noni Madueke down the right and delivered a low cross for Havertz to tap in at the back post, after Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker’s error in possession. Liverpool pressed hard before the break—hitting the bar and forcing desperate defending—but Arsenal kept them without a shot on target in the second half to secure a rare clean sheet at Anfield.

Arteta: “Extremely proud… magical part of this game”

Mikel Arteta, who was Arsenal captain the last time they won at Anfield (2–0 in 2012), praised his side’s spirit after the midweek Carabao Cup humiliation at League Two Fleetwood Town. “Extremely proud. It’s been 14 years, that’s a long time… Not only for the victory but for the way we’ve done it, the spirit we’ve shown,” he said.

He added: “That’s the magical part of this game, it can take you to really bad places but four days later you have the opportunity to do something really historic and we’ve done it.”

Havertz and Rice: “togetherness is undefeated”

Havertz called the win “what the fans deserve”, noting Arsenal had gone 13 league games without a victory at Anfield before this. Declan Rice, who assisted the goal and now has five league assists this season, said: “We’ve not won here in 14 years. It was relentless attacks but in the end that togetherness we have is undefeated. It’s nothing like I’ve ever seen before.”

Title defence and what’s next

Arsenal’s 24 points from nine games is the most by any team at this stage since their own 2022–23 campaign, and they are two points better off than at the same stage last season when they won the title. Despite scoring just 14 league goals so far, their defence—six clean sheets in nine games—remains the foundation of their title push. Manchester City sit second, pending the outcome of their appeal over Premier League financial‑rule charges.