Liverpool Vs Arsenal [0-1] Premier League 2026/2027: How Mikel Arteta Defensive Tactics Silenced Anfield - Tactical Analysis
Arsenal secured a 1-0 win at Anfield in gameweek nine of the Premier League, offering a strong response after being eliminated from the EFL Cup by Fleetwood Town last Tuesday.
The victory also ended Arsenal's 14-year quest for a Premier League win at Anfield, with their previous league victory there coming back in September 2012, when they won 2-0 while Mikel Arteta was still a player at the club.
Kai Havertz scored the only goal in a match where Liverpool tried everything to find an equaliser.
However, Arsenal's defensive solidity allowed them to hold on to the lead and take three points back to North London.
With this result, Arsenal remain top of the table, while Liverpool sit in 5th place.
Arsenal also have the best defence in the league, having conceded only five goals in nine games, keeping six clean sheets.
In this tactical analysis, we look at how Arsenal defended against Liverpool, both higher and deeper on the pitch, and how they broke Liverpool’s press.
Liverpool Vs Arsenal Lineups & Formations
Liverpool Lineup Vs Brighton
Andoni Iraola started in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Alisson in goal and a backline of Ronald Araújo at right-back, Jérémy Jacquet and Virgil van Dijk at centre-back, and Milos Kerkez at left-back.
In midfield, Trey Nyoni, Alexis Mac Allister and Florian Wirtz started as central midfielders, with Bradley Barcola and Cody Gakpo on the wings and Alexander Isak as the main striker.
The Spanish coach made five second-half changes.
In the 58th minute, Dominik Szoboszlai came on for Nyoni.
Nine minutes later, Rio Ngumoha came on for Gakpo.
Lastly, in the 77th minute, three players were withdrawn, as Kerkez, Wirtz and Araujo made way for Konstantinos Tsimikas, Lewis Koumas and Víctor Muñoz.
Arsenal Lineup Vs Liverpool
Mikel Arteta also set his team up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with David Raya in goal behind a back four of Jurriën Timber, Ezri Konsa, Gabriel Magalhães and Riccardo Calafiori, from right to left.
Bruno Guimarães and Declan Rice started in midfield behind Martin Ødegaard as the No. 10, with Noni Madueke and Christos Tzolis on the wings and Kai Havertz up front.
The Spanish coach made only four second-half changes.
Close to one hour into the game, the first substitution came with Myles Lewis-Skelly replacing Guimarães.
In the 84th minute, two players were withdrawn, as Tzolis and Havertz made way for Piero Hincapié and Viktor Gyökeres.
Lastly, just four minutes later, he made his usual final change, with Mikel Merino coming on for Ødegaard.
How Did Arsenal Defend Vs Liverpool?
We will start by analysing how Arsenal defended against Liverpool, as the only goal of the match came from a high-pressing situation.
Liverpool started their goal kick with the goalkeeper, both centre-backs, and the left-back, which prompted Arsenal to press with their front three in a 4-3-3 system.
Tzolis started the press with a curved run, making it hard for Raya to pass to the centre-back.
This important, detailed press led to Ødegaard, positioned in the second line of the press, anticipating and intercepting Raya's pass to Jacquet.
After that, Rice made an overlapping run on Madueke, received the ball and performed a perfect cross to Havertz at the far post.