Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard believes Arsenal's 1-0 victory over his former club at Anfield on Sunday was "huge" for the Premier League title race. The Gunners moved three points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table, while Liverpool remain in fifth place following the defeat.
Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the game in the first half. Arsenal had suffered a defeat to Brighton ahead of the previous international break in September but have since bounced back with four straight Premier League victories.
Gerrard's verdict on the match
Speaking on Monday's episode of The Overlap, Gerrard praised Arsenal's performance and explained why the win demonstrated their title credentials. "They shot themselves in the foot, because there was no need to concede that early goal," he said. "But they had the [Alexis] Mac Allister chance to get level, and obviously the penalty incident is big. Alisson makes a save."
"I thought, on the balance of the whole game, 1-0 would have been a fair result, but credit to Arsenal. That's how you win leagues, going to places like Liverpool, being strong, sticking together, and putting in a different type of performance, which was full of grit and fight and togetherness, and they got over the line."
Title race implications
Gerrard added that Arsenal would look back on the win as a key moment if they secure the title. "And they will know that come the end of the season, if they win the league, which I think they will, I haven't changed my mind from the beginning of the season, they will look back at that more than your four or five-nils where they look fantastic, because I'm sure they will at times."
"They'll look at that and think, we went to Anfield, tough crowd to play against, tough Liverpool performance, Andoni Iraola's got this Liverpool team playing an awful lot better, Liverpool played well and we managed to get out of there with three points."
"Could be huge for Arsenal. At this moment in time, nine points behind for Liverpool. So, Liverpool have got work to do if they want to challenge. But this Arsenal team just look as if they can beat teams in different ways. I think that could be the difference."
The final week before the November international break gets underway with Arsenal taking on Hull City this weekend, while Liverpool go away to Crystal Palace and City will face Nottingham Forest.
