Arsenal did something no Premier League defence has ever done against Liverpool
Arsenal put on a defensive masterclass to claim a 1-0 win away to Liverpool on Sunday and in doing so, they achieved a Premier League first.
Kai Havertz found the only goal when he met Declan Rice's cross to fire in the winner at the back post as the Gunners managed to keep Liverpool at bay despite finding themselves under the cosh for much of the tie.
As Mikel Arteta's side snatched their first victory at Anfield in 14 years, they became the first ever team to prevent Liverpool from having a shot on target in a Premier League match at Anfield.
Arsenal become first team to prevent a Liverpool shot on target
Since records began in 2003/04, Liverpool had never been prevented from having at least one shot on target at Anfield until they faced Arteta's formidable Arsenal on Sunday evening.
Despite the Gunners taking the three points thanks to Havertz's winner, it was their defence that won them the game as they found themselves under the cosh for practically the entirety of the game after they took the lead, but kept the Reds from finding the back of the net.
Liverpool enjoyed 56.4% of the possession and managed 17 shots, creating an xG of 1.05, but they failed to test David Raya throughout, who had a relatively easy game between the sticks other than catching crosses.
Arsenal managed to withstand seven corners and 33 crosses from the Reds, who went closest to finding a leveller when Florian Wirtz struck the crossbar with a free kick and Alexis Mac Allister headed over from a very promising position.
The Gunners' defence, particularly their centre back pairing of Gabriel and Ezri Konsa, prevented Liverpool from ever really causing any serious danger, despite the hosts having 52 touches in their box.
Managing such a feat at Anfield is just yet another display of how far Arsenal's defence have come under Arteta. The days of Shkodran Mustafi, David Luiz and Rob Holding conceding three, four and five on the red half of Merseyside are well and truly behind the Gunners with Gabriel, Konsa, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori putting on a genuine show of how to defend like champions.
Arsenal boast the best backline in the Premier League, having conceded five goals after nine games and are currently on track to concede 21 times this season, six less than they did in last season's title-winning campaign.
Arteta and his side have drawn so much criticism for how they play football and see out wins, but it's clearly working. Preventing a side like Liverpool from having a single shot on target in their own backyard is clearly not easy, but the Gunners have done it. Defence wins titles, and it looks like it could do the same for Arsenal this season.
