Kai Havertz pitched arsenal in progress for a first win Liverpool at Anfield since 2012 as he finished off a superb team move to give them a first-half lead.
Arsenal headed to Merseyside knowing that even a draw would look like they were on top Premier League following Manchester City’s 1-0 defeat by Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.
The Gunners dictated the first phases and in the 16th minute they found the breakthrough.
Martin Odegaard’s press saw Arsenal win the ball high up the pitch before Bruno Guimaraes was deflected to Noni Madueke from the right.
Madueke found the overlapping Declan Rice whose low delivery was superb and he put the ball on a plate for Havertz to turn home at the far post.
Arsenal came under sustained pressure from then on as Liverpool searched for a response in what became an increasingly chaotic first half.
Alexander Isak had an effort narrowly wide and Florian Wirtz hit the crossbar with a free-kick, but Alexis Mac Allister spurned Liverpool’s best chance of the half when he headed unmarked from Milos Kerkez’s cross.
