Liverpool 1-0 Arsenal: Arne Slot exposes Gunners' "inability" - and Reds will only get better

Gold defeated silver once again in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, as Liverpool earned a potentially season-defining 1-0 win over Arsenal at Anfield to maintain their 100% record in the 2025-26 season.

Arne Slot's men had their fair share of defending to do in front of their own fans - including from the Gunners' beloved set-pieces - but the Reds defied their previous rearguard displays and struck down the other end via a wonderful Dominik Szoboszlai free kick.

The Hungarian - playing as a makeshift right-back - channelled his inner Trent Alexander-Arnold to propel Liverpool to the top of the Premier League table, as Arsenal's agonising wait for a first top-flight win at Anfield since 2012.

Here, Sports Mole assesses Sunday's main event from both a Liverpool and Arsenal perspective.

David Lynch - Liverpool expert

If this game between last season's first and second-placed teams was supposed to be an advert for the Premier League, then it was a poor one.

But when sides who want to win major silverware find themselves embroiled in an ugly contest, then their only target can be to somehow get out with the three points.

And it was fitting that Liverpool did that through arguably the sole moment of quality shown across the entire 90 minutes, a truly magnificent Dominik Szoboszlai free kick.

That goal meant Arne Slot's men dealing an early blow to a title rival and ensuring they are the only team in the division who have made a perfect start to the season.

But the Dutchman will perhaps be most pleased by the fact that his players have got themselves in that position despite having yet to click fully into gear.

That should worry those who wish to compete with Liverpool this season; they are alone at the top already, and look likely to get even better.

Ben Knapton - Arsenal expert

The Anfield curse has bedevilled Arsenal time and time again down the years, but if Liverpool's early-season defensive displays were anything to go by, the Gunners should have felt more confident than ever of ending that hoodoo.

Yes, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz were missing. Yes, Eberechi Eze and Martin Odegaard were only named among the substitutes. But Arsenal's multi-million pound talent in midfield and attack should have had the tools necessary to trouble the Reds more than they did.

Noni Madueke tried to carry the fight to the holders, but Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli had little - if any - influence on proceedings, and their usually trusty set-pieces were nullified by a Virgil van Dijk-inspired defence too.

Away from individual performances, Arsenal were evidently putting their conservative tactics into action; Declan Rice ambled over to every corner, passes back to David Raya were far too commonplace, and by the time they had to go gung-ho, it was too late.

It is all well and good going all out for goals when trailing, but Arsenal's inability to force the issue when the game is goalless reared its ugly head again, and they will not rip the title out of Liverpool's grasp unless that glaring problem is rectified.

Gary Neville theorised that Liverpool just have that extra belief that they can win these crunch clashes; Arsenal's stellar unbeaten run against the Big Six before today would suggest otherwise, but it is easy to see where he is coming from.