Sunday's game at Anfield was there for the taking, but it was the champions who stepped up - not the pretenders to their throne
Dull games are often decided by a moment of madness or magic. At Anfield on Sunday, it was very much the latter, as Dominik Szoboszlai earned Liverpool a 1-0 victory over Arsenal with a stunning free-kick.
The odds were against the Hungarian, with the ball lying 32 yards from the Gunners' goal, but Szoboszlai's strike was sensational - and utterly unstoppable even for a goalkeeper of David Raya's quality.
But what should we take away from this clash between the top two teams in England last season? Is it too early to start worrying about Arsenal's inability to beat their main title rivals away from home? Are Liverpool still a cut above everyone else in the Premier League?
'A moment of magic' - Slot praises Szoboszlai as Liverpool edge Arsenal
GOAL runs through all the big winners and losers from a predominantly dull match on Merseyside that was illuminated by a brilliant goal...Getty Images Sport
WINNER: Dominik Szoboszlai
Liverpool were never really likely to miss Trent Alexander-Arnold from a defensive perspective. However, even those left bitterly disappointed by the Scouser's summer switch to Real Madrid freely admitted that the Reds were losing a wonderful passer of the ball and a tremendous set-piece specialist.
Maybe, though, Alexander-Arnold's acrimonious exit was a blessing in disguise.
"I should mention Trent because he was taking the free-kicks in the past," Szoboszlai said in his post-match interview with Sky Sports. "Finally, I could have my chance - and I took it."
It should be acknowledged that Szoboszlai didn't just score a free-kick that Alexander-Arnold would have been proud of - he also once again did an absolutely fantastic job filling in at right-back due to the unavailability of the injured Jermie Frimpong and Conor Bradley's lack of match fitness. Some players would have been miffed by being asked to slot into the defence, particularly after seeing their starting spot in midfield taken by an expensive new signing in Florian Wirtz, but Szoboszlai really is a true team player, as he proved last season with his selfless and incessant pressing.
He stepped up brilliantly to the challenge at Newcastle on Monday, and effectively created the match-winner with an outrageous dummy after being moved back into his preferred position late on, but he was even more impressive on Sunday. The winner was Trent-esque but his diligent and disciplined defensive display was anything but, with Szoboszlai completely nullifying the threat posed by Gabriel Martinelli.
As Slot said on Sky, "Dominik shows what Liverpool is all about. If he has to play right wing, right full-back, as a 10, he gives his best. He was outstanding again today."
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Getty Images SportLOSER: William Saliba
It was not a good day to be a French centre-back at Anfield. Arsenal took a massive risk by starting William Saliba, who rolled his ankle in the warm-up, and it backfired badly, with the 24-year-old forced off less than five minutes into the game.
Saliba's compatriot, Ibrahima Konate, lasted much longer, and his premature departure was merely down to cramp, although it remains to be seen if he'll be cleared to link up with Didier Deschamps' squad during the international break.
Arteta was rightly thrilled with the way in which Cristhian Mosquera performed after his unexpectedly early introduction, but Saliba's enforced withdrawal is obviously a major cause for concern.
On the plus side, Arsenal aren't short of options, given Ricardo Calafiori can easily play at centre-back, while Piero Hincapie has just joined on loan from Bayer Leverkusen. However, the Gunners have seen previous title bids flounder without Saliba, so they'll be praying the former Marseille man avoids another lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Getty Images SportWINNER: Liverpool's back four
Liverpool may have won their first two Premier League games of the season - but they defended terribly in both games, against Bournemouth and Newcastle. In that context, the most pleasing aspect of Sunday's win from Slot's perspective is likely to be the clean sheet - his team's first in a competitive fixture since the 1-0 win at Leicester City on April 20.
And it wasn't just down to Szoboszlai's versatility - or Virgil van Dijk being his usual unflappable self in the centre of defence. Alisson Becker was called into action just once because Milos Kerkez put a couple of very dodgy displays behind him by doing a fantastic job containing, first, Noni Madueke, and then, Max Dowman. Nobody won more duels (seven) than the former Bournemouth left-back, who will be feeling much, much better about his game going into the international break.
Konate may be in a bit more pain, after hobbling off late on at Anfield, but the Frenchman will be proud of the way in which he bounced back after a calamitous start to the season, as he more than played his part in Arsenal's star striker, Viktor Gyokeres, going missing in action on Merseyside.
But it would be remiss of us not to mention another player that never lets Liverpool down. Joe Gomez came on for Konate with just over 10 minutes remaining and was absolutely fantastic, making three crucial interventions that helped Slot's side see out the game.
The signing of Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace before the close of the transfer window still feels essential, given Gomez's inability to stay fit for very long, and Konate's contractual situation. However, Slot will be more than a little relieved that his defence is keeping clean sheets again.
Getty Images SportLOSER: Expensive attacking talent
Both Liverpool and Arsenal have spent colossal amounts of cash strengthening their attacks during the summer - but not one of the big-money buys made a big impact at Anfield.
Hugo Ekitike boasted a 100 percent strike rate coming into the game but, for the first time this season, the France international was starved of service and got just one touch in the opposition box. It was a similar story for Gyokeres, who, like Ekitike, didn't manage to get single shot away and struggled with the physicality of Van Dijk, Konate and Gomez.
Florian Wirtz showed some flashes of what he can do, twice picking out the terribly ineffective Mohamed Salah in dangerous positions, but the Germany international once again failed to influence a Premier League game and is clearly still struggling with the physicality and intensity of English football.
Madueke was far livelier on Arsenal's right flank, where he was deputising for Bukayo Saka, but doubts persist over his end product, given the former Chelsea man didn't actually make a telling contribution before being replaced by Dowman.
As for Eberechi Eze, he was rather surprisingly given just 20 minutes on his Arsenal debut and wasted a glorious chance to equalise by failing to keep his balance as he broke into the Liverpool box late on.
Fair to say, then, that much more will be expected of Eze & Co. when these two sides meet again at the Emirates in January.
Getty Images SportWINNER: Liverpool's title defence
As already mentioned, Liverpool have their issues. The revamped defence is a work in progress, Salah is still not firing on all cylinders and the real Wirtz has yet to stand up. However, despite three patchy displays, the Reds are top of the Premier League table with a maximum nine points - so it's hard to be too critical of Slot's side going into the first international break of the new season.
Remember, Liverpool won nine games by a single-goal margin last season and they've now done it twice already this term while so many new players are finding their feet.
As seven-time title winner Roy Keane said on Sky Sports, "The sign of a brilliant team is winning matches when you are not at your very best - that is what champions do. It is early in the season, too. They will improve no doubt."
And that's a worrying thought for Arsenal - and the rest of the pretenders to Liverpool's throne.
Getty Images SportLOSER: Mikel Arteta
The common consensus before kick-off was that this game was there for the taking for Arsenal. That feeling had only intensified by the end of a first half in which Liverpool managed just two shots on goal.
"They seem a bit nervous," Keane pointed out. "They're off it a little bit. And Arsenal are controlling the pace of the game with their corners and playing out from the back. When they get into good positions they can do more. It is there for them to go and win it because Liverpool are tentative."
It was Arsenal, though, who were tentative in the second half - and the big question is why?
Obviously, Liverpool improved after the interval - but not massively, and they still required a wonder-strike to win the game. However, the Reds are now renowned for nicking three points at the death. They've already won three games this season with goals in the final 10 minutes. Jurgen Klopp may be gone, but Liverpool remain mentality monsters.
By complete contrast, Arsenal still look like overly cautious cowards. Serious doubts persist over the Gunners' bottle in big games - and their reluctance to go for the jugular, particularly when faced with title rivals.
This is by no means the first time that Arteta's side have played for a draw in a 'Big Six' clash, so it's hard to feel any sympathy for them after seeing the game snatched away with seven minutes of normal time to go. Some of Arsenal's best players may not have been fit to start on Merseyside, but they've arguably got the strongest squad in the Premier League now and yet it still feels like Arteta is driving a Ferrari with the handbrake on.
"Liverpool have got something that Arsenal and Arteta don't have right now," Gary Neville said on Sky. "And it's that edge to go on and win those big matches. Liverpool believe they should be winning these matches. I'm not sure Arsenal do. They don't want to lose."
That painfully pragmatic approach is undoubtedly one of the main reasons why Arteta has yet to win a league title - and maybe never will.
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