Arsenal head into the September international break with their winning start to the 2025/26 Premier League set back by a 1-0 defeat at Liverpool.
Mikel Arteta finished second to Arne Slot in the title race last season and he came up short in their first skirmish of the new campaign.
The two sides faced off at Anfield on the back of two wins from their first two games of the league campaign but it was the defending champions who edged out victory.
Neither side impressed from an attacking point of view, with post match data from Fbref.com confirming no big chances created at either end, with Arsenal narrowly winning the xG battle at 0.55 compared to 0.45.
A moment of magic seven minutes from the end of normal time settled it for Liverpool as Dominik Szoboszlai cannoned home a spectacular free kick.
Defeat breaks Arsenal's perfect start to the campaign, with a first defeat, and a first goal conceded after three matches played for Arteta.
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Huge investment over the summer had raised expectation of Arsenal being able to challenge Liverpool, but striker Viktor Gyokeres struggled up against Virgil van Dijk, and the Gunners boss admitted long-standing issues still remain in place.
"I'm very disappointed with the result. I'm very proud of my players. Both [sets of] players had to dig in as there was nothing between the two teams. It was going to be decided by an individual error or a moment of magic," as per BBC Sport.
"You cannot dominate here for 90 minutes, it's impossible. At the end of the game, I said we have to find a way to win these big matches.
"You have to put the ball in the back of the net when you have it. We were much better than last year, much better. But, ultimately we have to put the ball in the back of the net if we want to win the game."
The majority of Arteta's squad will now head away on international duty ahead of a Premier League return at home to Nottingham Forest on September 13.
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