A superb free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai (£6.5m) clinched a narrow win for Liverpool over Arsenal on Sunday.
Our Scout Notes reflect on the match at Anfield.
SZOBOSZLAI STARS
In a closely contested affair, both teams found it difficult to break each other down, with chances few and far between.
Indeed, Liverpool and Arsenal combined for just 1.0 expected goals (xG):
Szoboszlai, who was the clear man of the match, finally broke the deadlock on 83 minutes, as Arsenal conceded a goal for the first time this season.
Liverpool made just one change from the dramatic 3-2 win over Newcastle United, with the fit-again Alexis Mac Allister (£6.5m) coming in for the benched Curtis Jones (£5.4m).
It meant Szoboszlai once again showcased his incredible versatility, as he played at right-back for the second match in a row.
The former RB Leipzig midfielder obviously loses a lot of open play goal threat playing in this position, but his passing was superb on Sunday, and he did rack up the defensive contributions (DefCons), with 14 in total.
In a much-improved defensive display, Szoboszlai also helped Liverpool keep their first clean sheet since Gameweek 33 of the 2024/25 season.
Discussing his excellent free-kick winner, the Hungary international said:
“Well, luckily since we started the season we could practise some free-kicks. I felt this was a little bit further. I was like, ‘I’ll take a risk.’ I was confident in myself so I tried it. Finally! Long time ago. It was a long time ago [the last scored one], when you practise all the time. To be honest, I should mention Trent [Alexander-Arnold] because, as you know, he was taking the free-kicks because obviously he has an unbelievable shot. But finally, I could have my chance and did it.” – Dominik Szoboszlai
SALAH + WIRTZ QUIET
Elsewhere, Mohamed Salah (£14.5m) and Florian Wirtz (£8.4m) were once again quiet.
Salah couldn’t find much space down the right flank and was let down by a few heavy touches. The Egyptian has now produced just one shot and 0.05 xG across his last two matches:
He does, at least, face newly-promoted Burnley next.
As for Wirtz, the match largely passed him by, and he eventually went off with cramp (more on that below).
Hugo Ekitike (£8.7m), meanwhile, saw a goal ruled out for offside.
SLOT ON KONATE + WIRTZ’S FITNESS
In addition to Wirtz, Ibrahima Konate (£5.5m) also had to go off.
The Frenchman limped off gingerly on 79 minutes and was eventually replaced by Joe Gomez (£5.0m).
Arne Slot offered an update on the fitness of both players after the match:
“He thinks it is cramp and I have no reason to doubt him, although sometimes players talk about cramp and then we make a scan and it is more than that. Jeremie Frimpong wasn’t too happy, like some pundits and journalists, when I took him off against Bournemouth because he thought he only had cramp, or only felt a little bit, and he is already out for two or three weeks now. Let’s wait and see.” – Arne Slot on Ibrahima Konate
“It wasn’t an injury, it was a welcome to the Premier League! After 85 minutes, I don’t think he knew he could have cramp in so many different places and that’s what happened. That is welcome to the Premier League, that is welcome to playing in this intensity against an Arsenal that can play really intense as well. If you bring in – as we do – very, very good players, so, so, so talented but from different leagues and young – Florian is 22 and 23 Hugo [Ekitike] – I think it is normal if you are not 27 or 28 you maybe need to make a step towards the Premier League and that’s what these two are doing.” – Arne Slot on Florian Wirtz
SALIBA INJURY
Arsenal had their own concerns, too, with William Saliba (£6.0m) forced off due to injury in the first few minutes, having hurt his ankle during the warm-up.
Cristhian Mosquera (£5.4m), the summer arrival from Valencia, quickly replaced him as the right-sided centre-back.
On Saliba’s fitness, Mikel Arteta said:
“He twisted his ankle during the warm-up, and he came in and he said he believed that he could carry on and play, but straight away in the first two actions, I could see that he couldn’t cope, and we had to get him out unfortunately. But thank God we had Mosquera, which we put in for the first time in the Premier League. His debut, not expecting it at Anfield, and I think he was really, really good. I am [worried about Saliba] because you cannot play a game of that stature. After you tried [to], that means that there is something wrong.” – Mikel Arteta on William Saliba
ARSENAL BLUNT IN ATTACK
Arsenal had Liverpool pinned back for large periods on Sunday, yet their approach was overly cautious, resulting in no big chances being created.
Viktor Gyokeres (£9.0m) didn’t even register a single attempt on goal.
Alisson Becker (£5.5m) made a good save to deny Noni Madueke (£7.0m), Arsenal’s brightest spark, but Mikel Arteta’s side showed very little imagination, despite the second-half introductions of Martin Odegaard (£7.9m) and Eberechi Eze (£7.5m) for his debut.
Riccardo Calafiori (£5.6m) recorded the most shots for the visitors, with three.
No defender has registered more goal attempts than the Italian over the first three Gameweeks:
Above: Defenders sorted by shots (Tot) in 2025/26
