Liverpool v Arsenal - Premier League
Dominik Szoboszlai scored a screamer to secure three points for Liverpool (Picture: Getty)
Michael Owen believes Arsenal made an error when defending Dominik Szoboszlai’s thunderous free-kick winner for Liverpool.
In a game largely devoid of attacking quality, it was Szoboszlai who stole the headlines with a glorious strike into the top-left corner from more than 30 yards out.
The Hungarian had already delivered a superb display up to that point, keeping Gabriel Martinelli quiet as he played out of position at right-back.
But he added the icing on the cake in the 83rd minute, producing a superb set-piece effort from distance to secure a 1-0 victory and all three points for Arne Slot’s side.
The Gunners have proved one of the league’s best defences under Mikel Arteta, and so it was hardly surprising that a moment of sheer quality was required to beat David Raya in goal.
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But former Liverpool striker Owen believes that Arsenal’s decision to assemble a wall for Szoboszlai’s free-kick may well have been a rare defensive misstep from the Gunners.
‘I think the wall in that situation is a hindrance,’ Owen told Premier League Productions at full-time.
Metro at the Match: Liverpool 1-0 Arsenal
Metro at the Matchreturns to bring you all the analysis from the biggest games of the season.
Here’s were our team’s key takeways from Liverpool’s dramatic 1-0 win over Arsenal…
Arsenal’s pursuit of Piero Hincapie looks especially timely after William Saliba was forced off after just five minutes. Cristhian Mosquera deputised well in the Frenchman’s absence, but Mikel Arteta must be pleased to have another reinforcement on the way – Ben Fleming, sports reporter
One position Arsenal are still lacking in quality is the left wing. Gabriel Martinelli doesn’t quite know when to release the ball and was kept quiet by Dominic Szobozlai all game. If Martinelli can’t do it against someone who isn’t a proper right-back, who can he do it against? – Charlie Barclay, sports video journalist
Sunday proved to be yet another quiet afternoon for Liverpool’s record signing, Florian Wirtz. The German is still yet to get to grips with Arne Slot’s system and has left the Reds’ midfield looking unbalanced as a consequence – Ben Fleming, sports reporter
The potential signing of Marc Guehi appears to have finally jolted Ibrahima Konate into action. The French centre-back delivered his most assured performance of the season so far and dealt with the threat of Viktor Gyokeres with ease – Ben Fleming, sports reporter
Arsenal found it difficult to create much yet again, constantly passing it backwards to David Raya, who was then forced to kick it long. Noni Madueke was the only outfield player who was bright on the day, but was dealt with impressively by Milos Kerkez – Charlie Barclay, sports video journalist
‘When the ball is that far out and if the goalkeeper stands in the middle and there is no wall, I bet he doesn’t even have to dive. He can just shuffle and catch it.
‘The wall in that situation is a hindrance. The keeper doesn’t get to see it, it gives the taker a target to hit it over and the goalkeeper has to shuffle to one side of the goal.
‘If he just stands in the middle and there is nothing in front of him, what would happen is the opponents would make their own wall and that just shows you that they want a wall because it gives them a point of reference.’
Liverpool v Arsenal - Premier League
Szoboszlai scored the winner from 32 yards out (Picture: Getty Images)
Liverpool v Arsenal - Premier League
Michael Owen reckoned that David Raya would have saved the free-kick had there not been a wall (Picture: Getty)
Owen continued: ‘Don’t get me wrong, from 20 yards out you need a wall but over 32 yards out, I think the wall is a hindrance to a goalkeeper.
‘Because of the wall, he doesn’t get to see the flight of the ball until it’s soaring over the wall, so straight away it’s like a ball flying in from 22 yards.
‘If he had that extra ten yards to see the ball, he would have shuffled across more and definitely saved it.’
Speaking after the game, Szoboszlai admitted that the striker had to be his very best to get past Raya in the Arsenal goal.
‘Luckily we could practice some free-kicks,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘I felt this was a bit further. I was like ‘I’ll take the risk’. I was confident in myself, I tried it… finally [I’ve scored from a free-kick].
‘This shot I didn’t practice in the past few weeks because we were shooting closer. I had to take a risk and shoot a little bit harder because I knew Raya likes to jump behind the ball. It’s an unbelievable goalkeeper. If it goes a bit more inside he saves it.’
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