Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes the humiliation of a League Cup exit to fourth-tier Fleetwood Town drove his players to deliver their first Premier League win at Anfield in 14 years. Kai Havertz’s 16th-minute strike sealed a gritty 1-0 victory over Liverpool on November 1, 2026, moving the Gunners back to the top of the table.
Mikel Arteta (Credits: BBC Sport)
Arteta: Fleetwood Defeat Spurred Arsenal On
Arteta, who was in Arsenal’s starting XI for their previous Anfield victory in 2012, told Sky Sports the triumph felt even better as a manager after 14 long years. He said the Fleetwood shock, one of the biggest cup upsets ever, four days earlier gave his squad the jolt they needed, praising their spirit and togetherness in responding at Liverpool.
Havertz, one of the biggest culprits in the midweek defeat, made amends with a simple finish from Declan Rice’s low cross, his fifth assist of the season. The German also became the highest-scoring German in Premier League history with 46 goals, overtaking Ilkay Gundogan.
Arsenal Three Points Clear at the Top
The result put Arsenal three points clear of Manchester City and nine clear of Liverpool. They had to survive a blistering Liverpool spell after the goal, with Alisson brilliantly denying Christos Tzolis late on, but Arsenal’s defence held for another clean sheet and an eighth win in nine league games. Liverpool, by contrast, finished with zero shots on target at home for the first time on record.
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
