Dominik Szoboszlai delivered when it mattered most, scoring a spectacular free-kick in the 83rd minute to give "Liverpool" a narrow 1-0 victory over "Arsenal" in the third round of the Premier League.
Liverpool's Hungarian midfielder broke the deadlock with a sublime set-piece that left David Raya with no chance, settling what had been a cautious affair at Anfield.
"Sometimes in tight matches like this, you need a moment of individual brilliance. Today that came from Szoboszlai's right foot," a delighted member of Liverpool's coaching staff might have commented after the match.
Both sides had approached the contest with caution, creating few clear-cut chances in a tactical battle that seemed destined for a goalless draw until Szoboszlai's late intervention.
Interestingly, Virgil van Dijk marshaled Liverpool's defense effectively throughout, helping secure a clean sheet against Arsenal's attack featuring Manueke, Jokerres, and Martinelli. The Gunners were forced into an early change when William Saliba had to be replaced by Mosquera after just five minutes.
The win maintains momentum for the reigning English champions. Liverpool made several changes during the match, with Konate making way for Gomez in the 79th minute, while Ekitike was replaced by Chiesa at the same time.
Arsenal manager introduced creative midfielder Odegaard for Merino in the 70th minute in an attempt to find a breakthrough, but the Norwegian couldn't help his team avoid defeat.
By the way, the match saw yellow cards for Gravenberch and Endo on the Liverpool side, with Jokerres and Zubimendi cautioned for Arsenal.
Next up, "Liverpool" travel to face Burnley, while "Arsenal" return to North London to host Nottingham Forest. Can the Gunners bounce back from this narrow defeat?
