Havertz winner ends Arsenal's Anfield wait and opens three-point lead

Arsenal moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 victory at Liverpool on Sunday, November 1. Kai Havertz scored the only goal in the 16th minute, converting Declan Rice's delivery at the back post, according to BBC Sport's match report.

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Liverpool threatened an equaliser before half-time, with Florian Wirtz striking the crossbar from a free-kick. The hosts also had two penalty appeals turned down. They continued to press after the interval but finished with 17 attempts and none on target, while Arsenal recorded three shots on target from their 10 efforts.

Arsenal also had an opportunity to extend their advantage. Alisson made a one-handed save to deny Christos Tzolis, whose first-time effort was directed towards the far corner. Havertz's earlier finish remained decisive, leaving Liverpool fifth in the table and nine points behind the leaders. The visitors had protected their lead through both halves without needing a second goal.

The result ended Arsenal's long wait for a league win at Anfield. BBC Sport's Alex Howell reported that their previous success there came in 2012, when Mikel Arteta was their captain. Sunday's match also brought their first Premier League clean sheet at the ground since that victory, and their sixth league clean sheet of the current campaign.

For Arteta, now Arsenal's manager, the win followed the disappointment of a Carabao Cup exit against League Two Fleetwood Town in midweek. In comments reported by the BBC, he praised his players' response and the spirit they showed after that setback. He stressed the significance of delivering a victory that the club's supporters had waited years to celebrate.

Arsenal now have 24 points after nine league matches, two more than at the same stage of last season's title-winning campaign. Howell reported that only their 2004-05 and 2007-08 Premier League teams had collected more points at this stage. Rice's contribution to the winning goal took him to five league assists this season, while Arsenal's scoring total stands at 14.