Dominik Szoboszlai’s superb late free-kick gave Liverpool a dramatic 1-0 win over title rivals Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday.
With seven minutes remaining, the Hungarian midfielder curled a brilliant set-piece past Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, settling a tense clash between the Premier League’s top two contenders.
The strike secured a third successive league victory for champions Liverpool, while Arsenal suffered their first defeat of the season after opening with consecutive wins.
Both clubs invested heavily in new signings over the summer, but none of the recent arrivals made a decisive impact. Instead, Szoboszlai, playing out of position at right-back, delivered the defining moment after Martin Zubimendi fouled Curtis Jones 25 yards from goal.
Liverpool head into the international break as the only side with a perfect record, sitting top of the table as they pursue a record 21st English title.
For Arsenal, who finished runners-up to Liverpool last season, the defeat highlighted the challenge of ending their run of three successive second-place finishes. Manager Mikel Arteta urged his side to regroup quickly.
Earlier at the Amex Stadium, Erling Haaland scored his 88th Premier League goal on his 100th appearance, but his strike was not enough to prevent Manchester City from falling 2-1 to Brighton, compounding their shaky start to the campaign.