Liverpool 0-1 Arsenal: Kai Havertz goal sends champions top and ends long Anfield hoodoo

However, if it is one thing Arteta’s side are well-drilled at it is seeing out games having maximised their opportunities and the celebrations in front of the visiting fans having moved top of the table showed how significant they felt this result was.

And while most of the football was played by Liverpool after going behind it did not bring any rewards – partly due to poor judgement and execution but also bad luck.

By then the hosts were already behind after another miscalculation by Alisson.

A week ago against Brighton the Brazil international had got away with a few loose passes in the win against Brighton. Arsenal were not so forgiving.

His attempted pass to Jeremy Jacquet gave the centre-back no chance of retaining possession and the loose ball was seized upon by Arsenal, who moved it the right where Noni Madueke and Declan Rice combined for Havertz to tap in at the far post.

The margins were always going to be tight in a match between the current champions, who have won all five league games when scoring the game’s first this season, and their predecessors and that one error proved to be the difference as for all their pressure Liverpool failed to test David Raya.

Much of that was down to the hosts’ lack of composure in the final third – Raya did not have to make a save – and Arsenal’s experience at doing the necessary dirty work to deny those opportunities.