Dominik Szoboszlai’s brilliant free-kick fired Liverpool to a dramatic 1-0 win over title rivals Arsenal, while Manchester City suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Brighton that extended their troubled start to the season on Sunday.
Szoboszlai curled a sublime set-piece past Arsenal keeper David Raya with seven minutes left at Anfield in a tense clash between the two leading contenders for the Premier League crown.
The Hungary midfielder’s gem was enough to seal a third successive league victory for champions Liverpool as Arsenal lost for the first time this term following consecutive wins.
Arsenal finished as runners-up behind Liverpool last season and the clubs have been engaged in an expensive arms race since the end of the season.
A host of high-profile signings aimed at tilting the balance of power in the title race have arrived at Anfield and the Emirates Stadium.
Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike and Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres had their chance to shine under the spotlight on Sunday.
None of the new additions dazzled. Szoboszlai, deployed out of position at right-back, delivered the defining moment.
Zubimendi fouled Curtis Jones 25 yards from goal and Szoboszlai stepped up with a masterful finish.
Liverpool, who have the only 100 percent record in the top tier, go into the international break in a familiar position on top of the table as they chase a record 21st English title.
“If you win against a team like Arsenal, who last season were such a good team and have strengthened so much, it is very positive,” Liverpool boss Arne Slot said.
“In the end we needed a moment of magic. We will know at the end of the season what it’s worth.”
Arsenal must lick their wounds after a result that suggested their bid to end a run of three successive second place finishes is still a work in progress.
“I’m very disappointed with the result,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.
“You cannot dominate here for 90 minutes, it is impossible. At the end of the game, I said we have to find a way to win these big matches.”
Earlier, at the Amex Stadium, City striker Erling Haaland marked his 100th Premier League appearance with his 88th goal in the competition since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.
But the 25-year-old’s third goal this season wasn’t enough to help Pep Guardiola’s side bounce back from last weekend’s 2-0 home loss to Tottenham.
– ‘Not good enough’ –
James Milner’s second half penalty hauled Brighton level before Brajan Gruda’s late strike completed City’s collapse.
“We concede the goal and after that it shifted,” Guardiola said. “We made a good hour and then we were not good.
“We forgot to pass the ball, just played long balls and we were not good enough. It is what it is.”
Haaland pierced the Brighton defence in the 34th minute, stabbing past Bart Verbruggen from close-range after Omar Marmoush prodded the ball into his path.
Matheus Nunes handed Brighton a lifeline in the 67th minute.
Lewis Dunk shrugged off Bernardo Silva’s attempt to mark him and blasted a shot that Nunes blocked with his arm away from his body.
Milner sent James Trafford the wrong way with a clinical penalty before copying Diogo Jota’s goal celebration in tribute to his former Liverpool team-mate who died in a car crash in July.
It was the 39-year-old’s first Premier League goal since 2019, making him the second oldest scorer in the competition’s history behind Teddy Sheringham, who was 40 when he set the record.
City were in disarray and German youngster Gruda made them pay in the 89th minute, breaking into the area before delivering a composed finish to spark wild celebrations.
Elsewhere on Sunday, West Ham eased the pressure on boss Graham Potter with a 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest.
Potter had faced calls for his sacking after West Ham conceded eight goals in two successive top-flight defeats, then crashed out of the League Cup at Wolves.
Former Chelsea and Brighton boss Potter, who has only been in charge of West Ham since January, may have earned a stay of execution thanks to three goals in the last six minutes from Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta and Callum Wilson.
AFP