Mikel Arteta described it as "remarkable." His Arsenal side had just beat Liverpool 1-0 to secure their first victory at Anfield in more than 14 years, but there was one element of the Premier League champions' performance that appeared to please their manager more than any other.

For the first time on record (since 2003-04), Liverpool had failed to record a shot on target at home in the Premier League, with Gunners goalkeeper David Raya enjoying a surprisingly uneventful afternoon on Merseyside.

"I didn't know about that statistic, but that's incredible," Arteta said in his postmatch news conference. "It didn't feel like this to be fair on the pitch because there were very little margins sometimes when they had the opportunity to shoot and it's a team that shoots a lot. You have to be so good at blocking shots and preventing those spaces for them to get into there.

"Again, it's a commitment of every single player in every action consistently to deliver those kind of stats and to do it against this team, it's something remarkable I would say."

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Arteta's assessment was fair. While Liverpool did not do enough to test Raya, they didnpose problems for the Arsenal defence. After falling behind to a Kai Havertz goal in the 16th minute, the hosts pinned the Gunners' back and played with an intensity reminiscent of Jürgen Klopp's "heavy-metal" Liverpool sides.

The Reds had 28 touches in their opponents' penalty area in the first half -- the most on record (since 2008-09) by any team in the opening period of a Premier League game against Arsenal -- and could have been awarded a penalty for Jurriën Timber's shirt pull on Alexander Isak inside the box. Florian Wirtz later hit the crossbar with a free-kick, while Alexis Mac Allister ought to have done better with a header he put over the bar.

However, the fact remains that Liverpool are still not consistently functioning as a fluid attacking unit. They have scored just four goals at Anfield in the Premier League this season, their joint-fewest after five home matches in a top-flight campaign (also four in 1913-14 and 2012-13). In three of their five home league games this term -- against Fulham, Manchester City and now Arsenal -- the Reds have failed to find the back of the net.

So why is their star-studded attack struggling to deliver? And how can manager Andoni Iraola get them back on track?

Big guns not firing

Going into Sunday's game, the matchup was pitched in some quarters as attack vs. defence. The absence of Bukayo Saka plus question marks over the fitness of Noni Madueke and Christos Tzolis had left Arsenal looking shorn of quality up front, while Liverpool's forwards had appeared to be finding their feet during a run of five straight wins in all competitions.

Before the weekend, Isak had scored six goals in his last seven league appearances and had scored in three consecutive games for the first time in more than 18 months. Summer signing Bradley Barcola had registered five goal contributions in four games, while Wirtz had begun to look quietly impressive in the No.10 role.

After Liverpool spent a combined total of £354 million ($462 million) to sign that trio over the past three transfer windows, there was optimism that Liverpool's big guns were beginning to fire on all cylinders just in time to inflict some damage on the reigning champions. In reality, none of the three were able to produce a moment of magic against Arsenal. Adding in Cody Gakpo's £37 million ($49 million) signing in 2023, Liverpool first-choice attacking quartet cost them more than $500 million.

Not for the first time this season, Wirtz was substituted while his team were in need of a goal, ending the afternoon with an expected assists value of just 0.06. Barcola's influence waned after a promising spell in the first half, while Isak enjoyed just 26 touches and completed 12 of his 16 passes.

While Arsenal deserve credit for the robustness of their defence, Liverpool just aren't scoring, or even creating, enough chances in the Premier League. Having scored just 63 league goals under Arne Slot last term -- their lowest tally since 2015-16 -- there has not yet been a significant uptick in that department under Iraola.

Liverpool have scored 11 goals in nine top-flight games this season, two less than newly-promoted Ipswich Town and only one more than Michael Carrick's faltering Manchester United side. In terms of big chances created, the Reds are also performing poorly and currently rank 19th in the league with seven. Comparatively, the best-performing team by that metric, Manchester City, have created 32.

The concern for Iraola will be that Liverpool's stats are actually down from last season. After the same number of games in 2025-26, they had created 24 big chances (ranking second in the league behind City).

There has been a similar decline in other attacking metrics, with the Reds having completed 90 passes into the penalty area this term, down from the 115 they managed in nine games last season. The number of carries ending in the attacking penalty area has also dropped from 167 in 2025-26 to 137 in 2026-27.

Champions League form not translating domestically

It has been a different story in the UEFA Champions League, where Liverpool have scored 12 goals across their three games this season.

"I don't really know the reason," Iraola said last month when quizzed on why his side are more prolific in Europe. "It's true that the LASK game is different, but against Villarreal and Atlético Madrid, I think we've been offensively, especially, really good.

"In the Premier League, we are not scoring at this level and also we are probably defending better. They are different kind of games and different kind of opposition, I think more than [the difference being] the competitions, it is who you have played against."

Admittedly, Liverpool have had a favourable draw in the Champions League this term, but it's clear several of their players feel far more comfortable playing in European competition than they do domestically.

In a recent interview with French outlet Téléfoot, Barcola acknowledged that the Premier League is "less technical" than Ligue 1 and a big step up physically. It is no coincidence, then, that he and Wirtz in particular thrive when they are not having to contend with the intense physical demands of the English game.

Enduring issues in other areas of the pitch are not helping Liverpool up front. Iraola is still searching for the right balance in midfield and boldly handed teenager Trey Nyoni his first league start against Arsenal. After a few nervy moments and heavy tackles in the opening exchanges, the 19-year-old excelled as the Reds' deepest-lying midfielder, with his tally of 53 completed passes and 14 line-breaking passes the most of any player during his 59 minutes on the pitch. While his minutes will need to be managed as he adjusts to a more prominent role in the first-team squad, his development could prove vital in helping to better platform Liverpool's attackers.

There is also much for Iraola to ponder in terms of his full-backs. Milos Kerkez is full of endeavour, but his quality on the ball is a hindrance at times. On the other flank, the addition of Barcelona loanee Ronald Araújo has helped to shore up Liverpool's defence, but his natural instincts as a centre-back means he has limitations offensively.

Ultimately, this iteration of Liverpool is a work in progress. Sources told ESPN that Iraola's propensity for improving attacking players was one of the main reasons for his appointment, but he is just 14 games into his Anfield career and while some of the early signs have been promising, it will take time for him to fully realise his vision.

The 44-year-old coach will also hope that the expected return of France international Hugo Ekitike from an Achilles injury in the coming months can equip his squad with some additional firepower.

"Some days it feels like we are at the top, and some days it feels like we are not even close," midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai told Viaplay after Sunday's game. "It takes time to be at the top, I think."

It was an astute appraisal. Iraola's Liverpool are at the beginning of their journey. How quickly they reach their destination depends on whether his expensively assembled front line can begin delivering on their potential.