Undone by a worldie!

Same Old Story at Anfield: Szoboszlai Screamer Ends Arsenal's Run

Arsenal went to Anfield with hope, history, and a nine-month unbeaten away record. They left with none of the above, thanks to a 30-yard thunderbolt from Dominik Szoboszlai that ripped through David Raya and the post with all the subtlety of a wrecking ball. Liverpool 1, Arsenal 0 — and yet again we shuffle back down the M6 muttering, "maybe next year."

Déjà Vu With a Twist

You've read this script before. Arsenal go to Anfield, match them for large parts, defend like warriors, create some half-chances, then one moment of brilliance (or calamity) tips it Liverpool's way. It's been the same since 2012 — that was the last time we actually won there. 2012! Wenger was still in a dugout, Suarez hadn't even started biting yet, and we were still clinging to Theo Walcott's hamstrings.

This time, it wasn't Salah doing the damage but Szoboszlai, who decided to channel his inner Gerrard and curl one in that nobody in red or white could do a thing about. Fair play, it was a stunner. But doesn't it always take something spectacular against us? That's not much comfort, mind — they all count the same.

Saliba Down, Panic Up

The mood darkened just four minutes in when William Saliba limped off. Losing your best defender at Anfield is like turning up to a gunfight with a Super Soaker. In came Cristhian Mosquera, making just his second appearance, and credit to the kid: he wasn't overawed. Alongside Gabriel, he actually kept Liverpool's attack quieter than usual.

Problem was, with Bukayo Saka already out, we were running out of our usual match-winners. Noni Madueke, drafted into the right wing, gave Milos Kerkez a torrid time but couldn't quite find the finish. Riccardo Calafiori had a couple of sniffs, Odegaard and debutant Eze came on later, but the final ball was always missing.

Liverpool Look… Human?

Here's the strange thing: Liverpool weren't great. In the first half they had just two shots — their lowest tally at Anfield since 2021. It was cagey, nervy, and for once it looked like we might nick something. Then came the shift: Slot's side cranked up the tempo in the second half, Salah started drifting into the game, and Arsenal's midfield were suddenly firefighting.

Even then, it took Szoboszlai's postage-stamp free-kick to separate the sides. Raya had no chance, though you can bet Ramsdale's army of loyalists will say he would have clawed it out for the cameras.

The Curse of Anfield Lives On

So the unbeaten away run's gone. The six-game streak without losing to Liverpool's gone. And the record books remind us we've now gone 13 straight Premier League games at Anfield without a win. In short, nothing's really changed.

But here's the thing: Arsenal weren't bad. This wasn't the 5-1 hammerings of the past, or Mustafi doing Mustafi things. We went toe-to-toe, looked organised, and could have scored first. That's progress, even if the result says otherwise.

What Next?

An international break to stew over it all, then Forest at home, Bilbao away in the Champions League, and City looming large. Welcome back to reality. If Arteta wants to prove Arsenal can go one better this season, we need to show that defeats like this are blips — not omens.

For now, though, Anfield remains what it's been for 12 long years: Arsenal's personal haunted house.