Matt is an experienced sports journalist and Senior Editor at Football FanCast with 15 years of experience covering football across the Premier League, EFL and Scottish football. Since joining the publication in 2019, he has progressed from writer to Assistant Editor and Senior Editor, a position he has held since 2021.  

A Sports Journalism graduate, Matt previously served as Arsenal and Premier League Editor at VAVEL and gained club-media experience with Chesterfield FC. His journalism has appeared through the Press Association, with his work featured by Sky Sports and the Daily Mail.
 

Throughout his career, Matt has interviewed prominent football figures including Arsène Wenger, Ray Parlour, Alan Smith, Lucy Bronze and Steph Houghton, while also appearing on Arsenal Fan TV and Love Sport Radio.
 

Today, Matt leads Football FanCast's features team, overseeing opinion coverage, editorial standards and content strategy while continuing to provide detailed football analysis.

14 years ago. That was the last time Arsenal beat Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League.

Not since Mikel Arteta was playing in midfield for the Gunners had they sealed a win in these parts. So, this title-challenging, Premier League-winning group of players have now achieved a rare feat.

How did they do it? Well, in classic Arsenal style, of course. It was another 1-0 win; it was another gritty performance, a backs-to-the-wall performance.

Arteta's side were not perfect but in defence they were resolute. They are now top of the division and while it may only be November, they certainly look as though they are on course to be crowned champions again.

How Arsenal sealed victory at Anfield

Since Arteta became Arsenal manager, his side have won 33 games by a 1-0 scoreline. It's just how they do things.

It may not be a good watch for the neutral and for an age, pundits argued that it was not sustainable. Well, in the course of winning the Premier League for the first time in 22 years last time out, they have proven it is sustainable. They proved it again at Liverpool.

This was a win by any means necessary and they did remarkably well to bat away the pressure from Andoni Iraola's side.

The visitors started extremely well and it did not take long for Kai Havertz to find the net. Against Fleetwood in midweek, the German looked like a ghost. His performance was fit for Halloween.

In Merseyside, he bounced back phenomenally well. Teed up by Declan Rice, the centre-forward found the net on 16 minutes from just a matter of yards out.

In truth, that was the best chance Arsenal had all game and they took it.

For much of the clash, Arteta's men were forced to withstand huge waves of pressure from Liverpool. After the goal, the hosts were certainly the better team.

They turned it into a game of chaos. Iraola's side really got at Arsenal but they were wise to the challenge. Once the full-time whistle sounded, Liverpool had failed to have a single shot on target. That was the first time in Premier League history that they had failed to have a shot on target at Anfield. Yeah, the Gunners are pretty good at the back, aren't they?

That said, Havertz and the backline were not the only ones the manager had to thank.

How Declan Rice dominated Liverpool

Speaking at full-time, Rice explained how Arteta had had an honest chat with the midfielder over the summer, demanding more from the club's record signing.

Well, he's certainly risen to the challenge, particularly in recent weeks.

It was not long ago that the former West Ham United man was attracting criticism for his performances at the World Cup. He was not poor in North America but he looked weary; he looked absolutely spent after a gruelling season at club level.

He's now returned with a bang and has delivered two incredible performances in big games. Against Bayern Munich, it was the £105m man who popped up with a vital late equaliser.

At Anfield, Rice was not among the goalscorers, but he was involved in Havertz's game-winning strike.

Registering his fifth assist of the campaign to make him the league's leading assist-maker, he delivered an inch-perfect cross into the path of Havertz at the back post who could not miss.

Rice was about more than just that assist. He completed 86% of his passes, had three shots, delivered two key passes and won four of his seven ground duels.

As good as the midfielder was, however, he was no match for his England colleague behind him.

Arsenal's real MOTM outshone Rice

During the World Cup, William Saliba limped off with a back injury for France. It's a problem that still keeps him out of action three months into the new season.

It left Arteta worried and Arsenal fans were concerned that their defensive record could blow up in smoke.

Well, enter Ezri Konsa. To the tune of £55m, the centre-back left Aston Villa and headed to the Emirates after something of a substandard time in an England shirt over the summer.

Alas, Konsa is Premier League-proven, and he's one of the best defenders in the top flight. Indeed, from August 2019 to May 2026, only one defender in the league had a better tackle success rate (74.8%) than him.

Perhaps surprisingly, his arrival was met with scepticism. Yet, he has no doubters anymore. Since arriving in N5, he has been nothing short of sensational. Saliba, who? That's how good Konsa has been.

Given just how exceptional he has been, it feels like the defender is worth double the amount he signed for. He's been right up there with Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes as far as his performance levels are concerned. He has settled into the backline and looks like he has been playing for Arsenal for years.

Against Liverpool, the centre-half delivered arguably his finest performance for the club yet. Rice may well have won Sky's Player of the Match award but Konsa can feel aggrieved not to have picked it up himself.

The 29-year-old made a game-high 15 defensive contributions and completed 89% of his passes for good measure. Everything Liverpool threw at him, he dealt with. He made £125m man Alexander Isak look like a mediocre Premier League player in the process.

It begs the question: what will happen to Konsa once Saliba comes back? Perhaps a right-back berth beckons for the England man.