To be honest, it was a cagey, boring game with one piece of magic seeing to it that Liverpool bagged three points today, making it nine points from their opening three English Premier League (EPL) games.

Arsenal is plagued by injuries, and the Gunners certainly missed Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus today.

Martin Odegarrd came on as a substitute, but it was clear he is not at peak form at this time.

Arsenal have been the runners-up in the EPL for the last three seasons, and the north Londoners have the weight of expectation on their shoulders this season.

Beating Liverpool at Anfield early this season would go a long way in cementing their claim as  a legitimate aspirant to the title.

With William Saliba injured in the first five minutes of the game, one got the feeling that this is the shape of things to come for Arsenal this season- a good team rendered ineffective by sick notes.

Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool’s back line had plenty of work to do, but ’twas a steadfast unit.

Arsenal has not won a league game at Anfield since 2012, and as this game wore on, that looked unlikely to change.

In the 70th minute, Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta brought on new signing Eberechi Eze, who looked lively enough, running at players.

A brilliant free kick from the Hungarian Dominik Szoboszlai put this game to bed. It may very well be one of the best goals of this season. This was a 32-yard zinger which Arsenal goalkeeper  David Raya had no chance of saving.  He went on to blame the new Nike ball and its tendency to swerve through the air.

The talk in English football is about Newcastle’s Alexander Isak joining Liverpool’s attacking line. If that should pan out, Arne Slot’s team will be the one to beat.

Without Isak, Liverpool remains impressive and is the clear favourite this season. They have got off to a flying start. Diogo Jota will be missed; however, Hugo Ekitike looks promising, and, if he and Mo Salah can combine well, ably assisted by Alexis Mac Allister, Liverpool will be the best strike force in the EPL this season.

After the game, Arne Slot chucked, “If you win against a team like Arsenal, who last season were such a good team and have strengthened so much, to win against them is very positive. We will know at the end of the season what it is worth.

“Listening to Jamie Carragher, he thought we were far too open against Bournemouth, so we thought, let’s make it a boring game!” 

Mikel Arteta said post-game: “I’m very proud of my players, I think both teams elevated the game to a level that there were no margins between the two and very little happens. There was a lot of action in many areas, not that much in the boxes. It was going to be decided in two possible ways – an individual error or a magic momen,t and it was decided in a magic moment.

“Today, when we have three, four or five situations inside the box, one vs one, when Eze is completely through, just to finish the action. You have to put those balls in the back of the net if you want to win the game.”