Kai Havertz on target as Arsenal edge Liverpool to return to Premier League summit

Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the game after 16 minutes, tapping home from a Declan Rice cross following a poor giveaway by goalkeeper Alisson.

Both managers made a number of changes for the encounter, with Arsenal summer signing Christos Tzolis returning to the starting line-up after missing the previous six games with a hamstring injury.

Of the 11 players Mikel Arteta started in the Carabao Cup defeat to Fleetwood, only Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz retained their places.

For Liverpool, goalkeeper Alisson returned following their penalty shootout victory over Chelsea, alongside Jeremy Jacquet, Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz, Alexis Mac Allister, Bradley Barcola and Alexander Isak.

Trey Nyoni, who impressed during pre-season, was handed his first Premier League start by manager Andoni Iraola.

Nyoni's first involvement was to concede a free-kick after fouling Martin Odegaard.

Some hesitation on the edge of the Arsenal penalty area nearly allowed Wirtz to nip in, but Ezri Konsa recovered to shield the ball as David Raya collected.

The next chance of the game fell to Cody Gakpo on the right flank, but his delivery into the area came too early and rolled past the far post.

Raya was quick off his line to beat Bradley Barcola to the ball following a swift Liverpool counter-attack and through ball from Isak. Nyoni was fortunate to escape a booking for another late tackle, this time on Bruno Guimaraes after 10 minutes.

Declan Rice was way off target with a speculative effort after 15 minutes, but his next involvement was to set up the opening goal. A poor pass out of defence from Alisson was intercepted by Odegaard, who eventually fed the ball out to Timber. The defender then played Rice down the line on the overlap, and his first-time cross was tapped home by an unmarked Havertz at the back post.

A loose touch by Konsa nearly allowed Gakpo in at the other end, but Rice was on hand to make a covering tackle. Barcola then came within inches of equalising with a curling effort in the 20th minute, while Havertz failed to connect with a Madueke delivery across the face of goal at the other end.

Liverpool were putting their opponents under sustained pressure, and only a last-gasp intervention from Raya prevented Isak from connecting with a free-kick headed on by Virgil van Dijk. Isak then appeared to be pulled back as he attempted to get on the end of another delivery into the box.

Gakpo subsequently went down under a challenge from Tzolis, but the referee waved play on.

Alexis Mac Allister fired wide after 32 minutes, while Konsa did extremely well to prevent Barcola from powering his way into the Arsenal box five minutes later. Liverpool then appealed for a penalty after the ball struck Timber's arm, but it had come off the defender's leg first.

Mac Allister tried his luck again from range, but his effort was never likely to trouble Raya, while Isak fired narrowly wide of the right-hand post after turning inside the penalty area.

Liverpool would have been disappointed not to have made their attacking threat count after pegging Arsenal back during a sustained spell of pressure.

Barcola continued to cause problems down the left flank, forcing Timber to concede a free-kick in a dangerous area after being turned inside out. Wirtz curled his effort over Raya, but the ball struck the crossbar, allowing Arsenal to maintain their clean sheet, just about.

Arsenal were struggling to get hold of the ball as the half drew to a close, while Mac Allister was left ruing a missed opportunity after powering a free header over the crossbar when arriving unmarked in the box.

The second half began with both sides showing the same attacking intent.

Isak and Gakpo looked to combine in the area with a lofted ball over the Arsenal defence, but Riccardo Calafiori was well positioned to clear the danger. Isak then blazed over while on the run after latching on to a Milos Kerkez pass to the left of goal.

Dominik Szoboszlai, who had missed Liverpool's previous three games, was introduced after 59 minutes in place of Nyoni. Arsenal responded by replacing Guimarães with Myles Lewis-Skelly just after the hour mark.

Alisson was relieved to gather the ball at the second attempt in the 63rd minute after a misplaced pass out of defence fell to Barcola, who was unable to control it.

Liverpool made another change, bringing on Rio Ngumoha for Gakpo for the final 25 minutes. However, it was Arsenal who enjoyed their best spell of the game, creating a number of half-chances and forcing some last-ditch defending from Liverpool.

Tzolis had an opportunity to shoot after finding space down the left, but opted to feed Odegaard instead, allowing Jacquet to slide in and recover. Alisson then had to get down low to his left to keep out a curling effort from Tzolis.

Ngumoha was looking lively and nearly set up an equaliser with a neat chip towards the far post. Van Dijk knocked the ball down for Ronald Araujo, but his shot was deflected into the hands of Raya.

Liverpool made a triple substitution with 10 minutes remaining, bringing on Lewis Koumas, Víctor Muñoz and Konstantinos Tsimikas for Wirtz, Araujo and Kerkez.

Arsenal responded by introducing Piero Hincapie for Tzolis and Viktor Gyokeres for Havertz, but the visitors were increasingly pinned back in their own half as Liverpool searched for a vital equaliser.

Ngumoha continued to twist and turn but struggled to find a way through, while Tsimikas overhit a cross from the left, allowing Calafiori to hack the ball clear.

Mikel Merino replaced the tiring Odegaard for the closing stages as Arsenal looked to see out the result. Szoboszlai floated a teasing ball into the box, but Ngumoha once again found his path to goal blocked.

There was seemingly no way through for Liverpool, however, as Arsenal held on for the victory to return to the top of the Premier League table, three points clear of title rivals Manchester City.

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