JAKARTA - Liverpool manager Arne Slot praised midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai after his stunning free-kick led his team to a 1-0 win over Arsenal on Sunday, August 31, 2025, at Anfield.
The 2024/2025 Premier League champions continued a impressive start in their efforts to defend the league title. Szoboszlai's goal in the 83rd minute broke the deadlock in a tense match after the two teams took turns scoring golden opportunities.
"He's always been a player I think he understands what a Liverpool player should be like.
"If you wear this shirt, you have to give everything, whatever position you play. As a midfielder, he's always been the first to step back and press high."
"Today, I don't think he made any mistakes. His game is amazing in a position he might only play two or three times in his life. So, it shows a lot about his mentality," Arne Slot said of Szoboszlai at ESPN.
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The win saw Liverpool the only team in the Premier League to set a 100 percent record this season, having beaten Bournemouth and Newcastle United two weeks earlier.
"Mentality. Must bring in a lot of new players because a lot of people leave. Then, if you have to start the season against Bourmouth which last season was really good and this season has already collected six points."
"Then, you face Newcastle at home, which is one of the most difficult away games for every team in the league."
"Then against Arsenal at Anfield, which is clearly one of the three toughest games of the season. We have then done what we did. We are not perfect."
"We were also not perfect last season, but still, what can be seen is great mentality. Everyone wants to work hard to get a positive result," said Arne Slot giving a positive initial impression this season.
The victory made Liverpool one step ahead of Arsenal in the race for the 2025/2026 Premier League title.
The game was exciting and tense. The long-awaited match between the two title-challenging teams almost ended in a fourth straight draw.
In the first half, Cody Gakpo opened up the opportunity first, moved inside and fired a shot from 25 yards, but it's still wide.
Noni Madueke gave a lot of trouble to left-back Milos Kerkez on the other side. The Arsenal winger won many corner kicks, one of which was in the middle of the first half which forced Alisson to make a brilliant save.
Liverpool played substandard, but David Raya almost gave them an opener in the 33rd minute. Virgil van Dijk intercepted a less accurate goalkeeper in the middle of the pitch, but he failed to pass to Mohamed Salah.
Arsenal also had several golden opportunities before halftime.
However, after the first half ended goalless, both teams did not produce serious shots until the 60th minute, when Florian Wirtz's shot was too bothersome.
Ekitike was the first to react. The wild ball was struck against the net, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Liverpool have increased the intensity since then, with Gakpo seeing the hopeful effort detained and Raya only managed to stop Salah's smooth cross from Wirtz.
After a chance after a chance of birth, midfielder Szoboszlai - who played right-back in the match - curled a hard shot past David Raya from the center, more than 30 yards from the net, in the 83rd minute.
This winning goal came shortly after Mikel Arteta made Eberechi Eze his debut with Arsenal, but the team's new signing failed to give a good impression in the game.
Anfield then thundered as Arsenal tried to equalize, with Eze's penalty for Joe Gomez's foul being ignored before Liverpool stopped Viktor Gyokeres from accepting the cross.
Wirtz's new most expensive player limped off the pitch as time was running out, with Arsenal failing to equalize as they struggled to the end.
Liverpool are heading for the international break by topping the Premier League standings after starting their bid to defend their title with three wins from three matches. There will also likely be more surprises from the Reds on the last day of the transfer market.
Alexander Isak and Marc Guehi were targeted by Liverpool on Monday, September 1, 2025, while Arsenal hoped William Saliba would avoid serious injuries after limping off the field within five minutes.
The defender was injured against Hugo Ekitike and was replaced by a newly recruited player in the summer, Cristhian Mosquera.
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