Arsenal defeated Liverpool 3-2 in a decisive Premier League match thanks to two goals from Bukayo Saka. The result left the home crowd dreaming of a title push and the visitors reeling in mid-table.
The outstanding Gabriel Martinelli scored from Martin Odegaard’s through pass to give Arsenal the lead after just 58 seconds on Sunday. Arsenal had lost to Liverpool since July 2020 and had gone scoreless in their previous six encounters with them.
For a revitalized Liverpool, Darwin Nunez (34) duly responded, but Arsenal ended the half the way they had begun it, with Saka (45+4) tucking in Martinelli’s cross at the back post after a quick counterattack.
At the beginning of the second half, substitute Roberto Firmino (53) scored an angled goal to pull Liverpool back even against the flow of play. However, Arsenal was now applying pressure and when Thiago Alcantara fouled Gabriel Jesus on the calf, Saka (76) skillfully converted the resulting penalty to give his team a three-goal lead.
Arsenal clung on to convincingly back up their north London derby triumph and extend their pristine league record at home to five games this season despite Liverpool’s persistent attempts for yet another reaction and the home team and their fans’ trepidation.
Despite having a game in hand, Liverpool is currently in 10th place, a huge 14 points behind the table-topping Gunners. If there is a route back into the title race for them, it is a very long way, but nine games in, Arsenal is leading, a point ahead of Manchester City.