Struggles resurface for hesitant Arsenal in defeat at Liverpool's hands

In a closely contested match on Sunday, Arsenal faced Liverpool at Anfield, with the Reds emerging victorious in a 1-0 win. Mikel Arteta's side managed only one shot on target throughout the game, a sign of their struggles to break down a resilient Liverpool defence.

The result left Arteta feeling disappointed, as Arsenal's attack was criticised for being "robotic" by Sky Sports analyst Roy Keane. Keane also highlighted Arsenal's lack of quick, off-the-cuff play, which has been a recurring issue for the Gunners this season.

Liverpool's dominant performance was exemplified by a sumptuous 30-yard free kick scored by Dominik Szoboszlai in the 83rd minute, providing the magic moment that won the game for the title contenders. The victory lifts Liverpool to the top of the Premier League with nine points out of nine.

Arsenal were without key players Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, and despite having ample attacking options against a shaky Liverpool defence, they were unable to capitalise. New signing Noni Madueke had a decent strike in the first half, but it was not enough to break the deadlock.

Arteta described Arsenal's play as dominating parts of the game against Liverpool, but admitted that they need to finish their moments to win games. The Arsenal manager has been backed in the transfer window with around 260 million pounds being spent, and the team's new signings for the current season include Viktor Gyökeres, Eberechi Eze, Piero Hincapié, Kai Havertz, and Ethan Nwaneri, among others.

However, Arsenal have not yet won a Premier League match against the title defenders Liverpool and Manchester City since 2019, which highlights the gap between the Gunners and the top teams in the league. Gary Neville, a Sky Sports pundit and multiple Manchester United title winner, stated that Liverpool have what Arsenal lack - a mentality to win big matches at big away grounds.

Eberechi Eze's late cameo role for his first Arsenal minutes was uneventful, but Arteta will be hoping for more from the new signing in the coming games. Despite the disappointing result, Arsenal seemed content to take a point back to north London instead of striking an early blow in the title race.

Viktor Gyokeres was a spectator for long periods of the match, and will be looking to make an impact in future games as Arsenal look to close the gap on the league leaders. With a tough fixture list ahead, it remains to be seen if Arteta's side can mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title.