Dominik Szoboszlai despatched Liverpool high of the Premier League with a shocking free-kick in opposition to Arsenal and admitted he wouldn't have taken the set piece had Trent Alexander-Arnold stayed at Anfield.
The Liverpool midfielder maintained the champions' 100% begin to their title defence with the late “second of magic” that Arne Slot stated a boring recreation desperately wanted.
Szoboszlai has displayed his free‑kick prowess on the worldwide stage with Hungary however was behind Alexander-Arnold on Liverpool's listing of takers earlier than the defender's departure to Actual Madrid. He seized his alternative from 30 yards in opposition to the Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, who claimed the brand new Puma ball getting used within the Premier League this season had deceived him.
Szoboszlai stated: “I used to be assured in myself, I attempted it. I ought to point out Trent as a result of he was taking the free-kicks up to now. Lastly I might have my probability and I did it. I needed to take a threat and shoot slightly bit more durable as a result of I knew Raya likes to leap behind the ball. He's an unbelievable goalkeeper. If it goes a bit extra inside he saves it.”
Raya credited the Hungary captain with “a hell of a strike” but in addition cited the brand new match ball as a think about Arsenal dropping factors for the primary time this season. “I keep in mind the ball transferring rather a lot and transferring away from me,” the keeper stated.
“It's totally different to the Nike ball so now we have to adapt to it. The grip is totally different, the kick is totally different. We simply should adapt after enjoying with the Nike ball for a few years. It's the identical for everyone.”
Mikel Arteta defended his strategy and argued Arsenal have been the dominant aspect, regardless of creating few probabilities. The supervisor began Mikel Merino instead of Martin Ødegaard, who had not educated all week due to a shoulder drawback, and left the brand new £67.5m signing Eberechi Eze on the bench till the seventieth minute.
“We didn't do our recreation plan to frustrate them, we did it to win the sport,” Arteta insisted.
“I believe we elevated the sport and the dominance to a degree that they needed to elevate their recreation. They did. Then you may see that there have been no margins within the recreation and when that occurs the sport goes to be determined in two methods. One, with a person error or two, with a magic second. They created a second that was unbelievable. That has received the sport and that was the distinction, nothing else.”
William Saliba needed to be substituted after solely 5 minutes as he joined Arsenal's prolonged damage listing. Arteta stated: “He twisted his ankle throughout the warm-up. He stated he believed that he might keep it up and play however he suffered within the first two actions. I might see that he couldn't cope and we needed to get him out, sadly. However thank God now we have [Cristhian] Mosquera, who we put in for the primary time within the Premier League, his debut, not anticipating it at Anfield, and he was actually, actually good.”
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Slot praised his Liverpool crew's mentality and defensive show because the champions stored their first clear sheet of the marketing campaign. Ibrahima Konaté and Florian Wirtz hobbled off late on however the head coach hopes each have been experiencing cramp.
“It wasn't an damage, it was a welcome to the Premier League,” Slot stated of £100m summer time signing Wirtz. “After 85 minutes I don't suppose he knew he might have cramp in so many various locations and that's what occurred. That's welcome to the Premier League, welcome to enjoying on this depth in opposition to an Arsenal crew that may play actually intense as effectively. That's regular should you herald superb gamers, so proficient, however from totally different leagues and younger … 22 for him, 23 for Hugo [Ekitiké].
“It's regular if you're not 27 then possibly it is advisable make a step in the direction of the Premier League and that's what these two are doing. Within the meantime, now we have 9 factors in video games the place we picked up 5 factors final season. That could be a optimistic however we will do higher. The optimistic is a few individuals thought we have been too open in opposition to Bournemouth however you'll be able to't say we have been too open in the present day.”
