Liverpool edged Arsenal 1–0 at Anfield on Sunday, but former Nigeria captain Sunday Oliseh has argued that the Gunners looked the stronger side for most of the contest, Footynaija.com reports.
The result, settled by Dominik Szoboszlai’s late free kick, was a major early statement in the Premier League title race. Both sides entered the fixture unbeaten with two wins from two games, and the atmosphere inside Anfield reflected the high stakes.
Arsenal battled through a heavy injury list that saw William Saliba withdraw only a few minutes into kick-off, while Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz were also missing. Even so, Mikel Arteta’s men showed resilience, pressing Liverpool high and moving the ball with fluency through midfield.
It was Liverpool, however, who produced the decisive moment. After a foul on Curtis Jones, Szoboszlai struck from distance to beat David Raya in the 83rd minute, keeping Arne Slot’s side perfect this season and handing Arsenal their first defeat.
Reacting to the encounter, the former Super Eagles star said via X that Arsenal had looked sharper in many aspects until the goal arrived.
“I feel Arsenal looked the better side all round prior to conceding, though Liverpool managed the game better defensively and did the most important; Scored!” Oliseh wrote.
The 50-year-old, who earned 55 caps for Nigeria and famously scored against Spain at the 1998 World Cup, also singled out standout performers from both teams.
“Eze for Arsenal and Wirtz for Liverpool are true big assets,” he said, highlighting the impact of the two midfielders.
However, he was less impressed by Arsenal’s £64 million summer signing, Viktor Gyökeres, who endured a frustrating afternoon against Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté.
“Sadly I cannot say the same for Viktor Gyökeres at the moment! I expected better,” Oliseh admitted.
