Arsenal have waited since 2012 for a Premier League win at Anfield. Kai Havertz ended the wait in the 16th minute, and the Gunners did the rest with their backs to the wall.

Liverpool were caught trying to play out from a goal-kick. Arsenal won the ball back, Declan Rice overlapped down the right and drilled a low ball across the face of goal, and Havertz was waiting, unmarked, at the far post to tap in.

Wave after wave

What followed was attack against defence. David Raya just beat Alexander Isak to a Virgil van Dijk flick-on, Liverpool had two penalty shouts waved away, Jurrien Timber's tug on Isak's shirt and a Cody Gakpo tumble among them, and Florian Wirtz crashed a free-kick against the crossbar before the break. Alexis Mac Allister headed Milos Kerkez's cross over.

For all of it, Andoni Iraola's side had 17 attempts and not one on target. Isak, six league goals to his name this season, barely got a sniff.

'VAR, do your job'

Liverpool's biggest grievance came on 21 minutes, when Timber pulled Isak's shirt as he went to head Bradley Barcola's cross. VAR checked it and cleared it. On Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher said: "One of the best goalscorers in the league is pulled back seven yards out and it stops him heading the ball - why does he need to make a meal of it? VAR do your job." Ian Wright, the former Arsenal striker, admitted: "As an Arsenal man, I'm glad we got away with it."

Alisson's double life

Arsenal tightened up after the interval and grew stronger once Myles Lewis-Skelly came on. Only a brilliant one-handed save from Alisson kept out Christos Tzolis's first-time strike, and substitute Victor Munoz's late header was too weak to trouble Raya.

It was the perfect answer from Mikel Arteta's men to their midweek Carabao Cup humbling by League Two Fleetwood. With Manchester City beaten again on Saturday, Arsenal now sit three points clear at the summit.

Liverpool, second defeat under Iraola, stay fifth, nine points adrift of the leaders.

What they said

14 years without winning here is a long time. Things happen for a reason and that gave us a belief and a hunger to come here.

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal manager

Arteta rejected the idea that his side had simply sat in: "Very fluid at times. We generated six or seven big chances but we couldn't break out." He also paid tribute to the hosts: "They are in a really good moment, had won every game and fully deserved it."

Gary Neville, on Sky Sports, called it "a defensive masterclass from Arsenal", adding: "Andoni Iraola will be upset, he will feel like his team have given everything."

Andoni Iraola had not spoken publicly when this edition went to press.

Dave Challinor was only announced as Sheffield Wednesday's new manager on Sunday morning. By teatime he had watched from the stand as his side led, lost a man, and were finally caught nine minutes from the end by a former Owl.

Jerry Yates, once on loan at Hillsborough, came off the Blackpool bench to poke home Albie Morgan's cross in the 81st minute. The Wednesday defence let the ball travel all the way across before he got there, and he finished it with his first touch. A crowd of 30,674 had seen Wednesday hang on for more than 40 minutes with ten men.

Gift from the halfway line

Blackpool started the brighter. Andy Lyons headed a corner straight at Ashley Maynard-Brewer inside six minutes, and Tom Bloxham tested the keeper from distance. But on 25 minutes the visitors gave the lead away. Leighton Clarkson's pass back went astray, Davis Keillor-Dunn ran on to it from the centre circle with nobody near him, and drilled a low shot inside Bailey Peacock-Farrell's right-hand post.

Swinkels sees red

Five minutes before the break the afternoon turned. Bloxham was through on goal when Sil Swinkels bundled him over, and the defender was sent off. Blackpool sent on Josh Bowler for Lyons at half-time and pushed.

Wednesday still had chances. Keillor-Dunn tried his luck from inside his own half with Peacock-Farrell off his line and missed by little. He then forced a fine diving save from distance. Hayden Coulson sent a low ball wide at the other end.

Evatt's four changes

Ian Evatt changed four players at once on 68 minutes, bringing on Yates, Dion Charles, Ilmari Niskanen and Finley Munroe, and the pressure finally told. Mason Burstow almost won it late with a chip from distance that Peacock-Farrell clawed away, and Olly Casey hit the crossbar with a long-range shot for Blackpool. Neither side found a winner.