Arsenal takes top spot after breaking 14-year Anfield drought

Arsenal players left Anfield on Sunday night as the new leaders of the Premier League, having secured their first win at the ground in 14 years. The 1-0 result over Liverpool gave the visitors a three-point cushion over Manchester City. It also extended their gap to five points over Brighton, the only side to have beaten the reigning champions this season.

The timeline of this shift began in 2012, when Arsenal last won at Anfield. Mikel Arteta, now the manager, was playing in the midfield that day. The wait ended on Sunday thanks to a defensive lapse by the hosts. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker attempted a short pass from a goal kick, but Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard intercepted it. The ball moved quickly to the right, where Declan Rice delivered a low cross that slipped past the Liverpool defenders. Kai Havertz tapped the ball into the net in the 16th minute.

That goal was the only one of the match. Havertz's strike moved him past Ilkay Gundogan as the all-time leading German scorer in the Premier League, bringing his total to 46 goals. Liverpool pressed hard for an equalizer but failed to register a shot on target during the entire contest. In the final 25 minutes of the first half, Florian Wirtz hit the crossbar with a free kick, and Alexis Mac Allister headed a ball over the bar while unmarked.

Rice credited the team's cohesion for holding the lead. "In the end, that defensive line, the way we stick together, that togetherness we have, is undefeated," Rice said. "It's nothing I've ever seen before." The result gave Arsenal its sixth clean sheet in its last nine games. It marked the club's eighth victory of the campaign.

The win came just five days after Arsenal was eliminated from the English League Cup by fourth-tier Fleetwood Town in a penalty shootout. Arteta fielded a largely second-string team for that match but restored his regular lineup for the trip to Liverpool. "This is the magical thing about football," Arteta said. "It's so unpredictable, the next result."

Liverpool drops to fifth place after the loss, ending a five-game winning streak. The team is now nine points behind Arsenal. Midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai acknowledged the inconsistency of their season. "Some days it feels like we are at the top," Szoboszlai said, "and some days it feels like we are not even close. It takes time to get to the top."

Arsenal will look to build momentum after seeing Manchester City lose back-to-back league games against Aston Villa and Brighton. The Gunners currently sit at the top of the table, while Liverpool remains in fifth.