Szoboszlai’s incredible freekick stuns Arsenal to send Liverpool top

0:06This is the Sky Sports Premier League podcast. A busy Super Sunday saw four matches live on Sky Sports, headlined by Liverpool against Arsenal at Anfield. Here's how that game finished.

0:23The end. And how much might that matter?

0:33Liverpool strike the first big blow. Liverpool remain perfect because of a moment of perfection. Dominic Soberslay's free kick was a diamond.

0:51There was no improvement on it. And in a game which took a while to hit the boil, his was the hot moment that counted and Liverpool hit the international break because of it played three won three and three points clear of those who would chase them well Liverpool have got something that that man hasn't quite got right now that edge that something that mentality to go and win big matches at big away grounds Liverpool believe they should be winning these matches, I'm not sure Arsenal do, they're happy not to lose and it's costing them but he was absolutely sensational Somerslai, even before the strike, was brilliant and Arnazsla that's a brilliant brilliant day for him, he said his team couldn't defend, they've just kept a clean sheet the champions are where they want to be out on their own out on top and so at least for a couple of weeks Arsenal are back where they spent last winter in Liverpool's rear view mirror champions on the march Liverpool 1 Arsenal 0

2:15nobody has yet beaten the Arsenal goalkeeper this season Soberslay and Orsala to concoct something now Dominic Soberslay Oh it's a jiff It is a jiff

2:36Dominic Soberslay lands the first mighty blow of the title fight It was going to take something special and that is exactly what it was dream day for Dominic Sipozlai who won it here for the Reds and he's giving his reaction to Patrick Davison. Dom, well played. Sometimes when a player scores a great goal they know the second it leaves their foot. Did you know? Well luckily we could practice since we started the season we could practice some free kicks. I feel this was a little bit farther. I was like 32 yards. Okay thank you. I was like I take a risk. I was confident in myself, so I tried it and, yeah, finally, a long time ago.

3:26Why finally? Because it was a long time ago, you know, when you practice all the time and now, to be honest, I should mention Trent because, as you know, he was taking the free kicks because, obviously, he has an unbelievable shot. But, yeah, finally, I could have my chance and, yeah, did it. You mentioned Trent, actually, on commentary, Cristiano Ronaldo, has mentioned with the technique so when you talk about practice is that obviously it's that technique that you practice again and again and again um to be honest this shot uh i didn't practice in the last few weeks because we were shooting from closer and if we are closer i shoot different way but um i had to take take a risk and shoot it a little bit harder because i knew of course raya likes to likes to jump behind the wall um and of course is an unbelievable a goalkeeper so if I don't if I think he goes a little bit more inside he saves it right oh so but you're also aware of him as a goalkeeper making that move the other way that's interesting yeah I was I was looking a lot of videos um does it take risk to win a big game like that I think you've used that word a couple of times yeah um of course um they they they had an unbelievable season last season and of course the two before that as well three times in a row becoming second, to be honest it's a compliment because always to keep on going behind with City, with us, with Chelsea with these kind of teams it's really hard and they always do it and they have an unbelievable team, unbelievable coach so we have to keep on fighting.

5:05I just want to ask you about a VAR check, you may not even know it happened but there was a long throw came over a sea of bodies just hit you on the arm it was checked and cleared what do you remember of it if anything ah to be honest when you don't tell me now then then i i don't even remember it there is there is with the corners with the long throwing that is the jungle so i didn't even notice that someone touched my touch my arm um if it was the ball if it was the guy so so i don't i don't even know well played i believe you were going to be player of the match even without the free kick so you definitely deserve of this.

5:38Well done. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Right-back Union delivering yet again for Dominic Zoboslai who capped it with that stunning free kick. It was a special moment of course but even without that, did it feel like Liverpool were in the ascendancy in that moment of the game? Yeah, Liverpool win after the race's first half and where they were really Paul was in the press. So you actually look, this is Liverpool pressing man-to-man. Zoboslai wins the ball back and Roy mentioned a half-time. Both teams not playing forward. Look at that Virgil van tag between the lines. It was so difficult to find space in there in that first half, especially trying to get the ball into Florian Verge but into Curtis Jones there, gets to the wrong side of Zubimendi and we can see it is a foul.

6:1632.3 yards out. You'd think Arsenal would feel relatively safe because it's so straight as well. Yeah, but like Sir Boris I was saying, the risk factor but I always feel the ball gets quicker the closer it gets to the goal as well. I mean, the goalkeeper obviously comes to the side but you've just got to just admire the strike and we've all been in a situation before when after training you take three kicks and who's going to take the best one but look you just admire this you see Rhea come over it and it just puts up more pace it's an incredible finish and just to see the ref cam here which is great for them you see the shape of the foot on that angle as well I think a lot of people might be practising this tomorrow out in the parks and I think there'll be a lot of balls going through windows and over fences no doubt it was that good obviously the keeper did anticipate he took them a couple of steps he gambled he knew where he was going but just couldn't stop it too accurate and too much piercing fantastic did the game need a moment like that.

7:05Yeah, we always want to talk about goals after games, but sometimes you do need a special goal to win a big game, and there certainly was that. And I think Liverpool on the second half performance deserved it. They just looked a bit sharper. Sometimes maybe at half-time, we talked about tactics, but I bet you the manager probably just said, listen lad, you need to liven up a little bit, a bit more forward passes. Subs made a bit of difference, gave them energy. Obviously, Jones winning the free kick there. And for all Arsenal, a bit like when they were at all Trafford, Arsenal attack and play that day and today just wasn't good enough.

7:34not sharp enough they need to do better You agree with that Theo? Look I wouldn't say that Arsenal were at the level where they didn't deserve to win the game I don't think anyone really deserved to win the game it was always going to be a moment I felt today to make sure they'd win the game but this is the difference where you talk about the risks and that's the side of it that Arsenal haven't been doing at this moment in time forwards have to take risks if you want to be able to win Because the manager had to take more risks as well I think he made the substitutions at the right time I think the game plan was going the right way for Arsenal I think there were signs of Eze coming on of course he got into the back of the Mendes have nearly caused problems there.

8:05But we want to see them earlier. That's probably the one thing I'd say. There's a lot of talk last season of Arsenal and what they needed. And it was they need someone up front to finish the chances that they create. I've never believed Arsenal's problem was finishing. Arsenal's problem is creating. That was the problem for them last season. They don't create enough. You can look at the goals they scored, their XG, their numbers, it's all there in black and white. And I felt from last season, Arsenal needed to shift slightly, become more proactive with the ball. So you bring Zubimendi on the ball.

8:36OK, you bring the guy up front. Eze has come in. It's only three games, but in the two away games that we've seen in Arsenal this season, nothing has changed. Heavily reliant on set pieces. Don't create anything in open play and are the best team in Europe for me defensively. I think it's great when you have a defensive record like they have and they're very good at set pieces. We've got to give Arsenal a thumbs up for that. But if you're just dependent on that all the time and then you come to Liverpool where you go the set pieces Liverpool are defending well obviously it's hard to score at Liverpool to do something a little bit different Rice they were going to have taken corners and they were taking ages they're slowing the game they don't have to pass the attack just get people in position but you're looking at Arsenal go do something off the cuff do something quickly do something whatever yeah there was a bit of rushing their play towards the end when they were chasing the goal but in general play you're thinking do something quickly do something off the cuff they're a bit they're still going forward a bit robotic but it's not wrong with the set pieces their defence you give thumbs up but you have to find something else.

9:34Theo there mentioned about deserving. This game is about, sometimes you don't get what you deserve in this game. It's about finding a way to win football matches and Liverpool, so far this season, we can analyse and be really critical of Liverpool but after the game, they must be thinking, well, you're winning and that's what really good, I was part of a team like that. Many, your memory plays tricks for you and you look back and people think you played well every week, far from it but you found a way to win. Are you half-timed? The manager says something, you make substitutions and that's the sign of a really top team.

10:03You walked in to the commentary box, giving it the biggest name drop of all time. Ishigua texts me saying, Chris Martin wants your number. And I was like, what, the former New Zealand fast bowler? But she went, no, Chris Martin from Colquay wants your number. I thought this was a wind-up. And I get a text from Chris Martin saying, I love the pod, I'd love to meet you and Af, and I still think it's a wind-up. So thank you, Chris, for following us and listening to our nonsense. I'm Mike Atherton. I'm Nasser Hussain. Follow Sky Sports Cricket or get your podcasts the usual way. However you get them, we will be there.

10:46This season, Sky Sports is showing even more live Premier League football. We've got at least 215 live games, including more matches on Fridays and Mondays. For the first time, all the games on the final day of the season will be live in one place. And in another first, Sky Sports can now offer multiple live matches at 2pm on many Sundays through the season. To become a Sky Sports customer, head to sky.com. For now, though, let's get back to the Sky Sports Premier League podcast.

11:24Arsenal beaten at Anfield. Mikel Arteta giving his reaction now to Patrick Davison. Mikel, obviously a moment of brilliance is part of it, but why do you feel that game's gone Liverpool's way? Well, obviously very disappointed with the results. Very proud of my players. I think both teams elevated the game to a level that there were no margins between the two and very little happens. A lot of action in many areas, not that much in the boxes. And it was going to be decided in two possible actions, an individual error or a magic moment. And it was decided in a magic moment from the side. For about an hour, did you feel like it was going almost perfectly to plan?

12:08Obviously, you'd have preferred to be ahead. And then did something change around about the hour mark? Yeah, you cannot dominate here 95 minutes. It's impossible. And you're going to go through those moments and it was a moment when and our keeper had the ball in their hands, and then we didn't have any sequences of play afterwards. But we navigated without considering anything. But at the end, again, I said, you need to find a way to win these big matches. A lot of times are individual magic moments that are decided, and for sure that was a case with an unbelievable free kick. For you and your team, how do you make that next step to win these big away games?

12:41We talked about it before the match. Incredible record in big games, but just here, the Etihad, that next step. Yeah, you have to put the ball in the back of the net when you have it. We were much better than last year when we drew the game. Much, much better. No difference. And today when we have three, four, five situations inside the balls, 1v1, when Epsi's completely through just to finish the action, just to put those balls in the back of the net, you want to win the game. Can you just tell us as well about how you've had to adjust your game plan over the last week or so because of injuries?

13:14And I guess you have to do it a few minutes in with losing Saliba. Well, we lost Martin, we lost Kai, then we lost Bucaio the week before. And how does that affect the plan? In the warm-up, you lose Saliba. It affects, but I think I'm very proud of the players, the way they reacted, the way they tried with their qualities, tried to implement what we wanted to do. And again, the margin was almost zero. Well, Arna, we won't know how big, perhaps until the end of the season, but stood here right now, does that feel like a huge result? Yeah, of course. if you win against a team like Arsenal. We were already last season such a good team, strengthened their squad so much.

13:54Then to win a game against them is very positive, but like you just said, we will know at the end of the season what it's worth because we're only three games into the season. What did it take to win that match? Obviously a moment of brilliance from Zobel's lie, but it felt like you figured it out after about an hour maybe? listening to Jamie that's why we won the game because Jamie hated the 4-2 win against Bournemouth he thought we were far too open so we thought let's make it a boring game today, let's keep the structure really well, so don't concede a counter attack and that's what two games did but on a more serious note first half, they took the risk of going 1v1 for us this was hard because they brought all the three midfielders so close to their defence That's why we changed in the second half.

14:45We said, okay, we go 1v1, but now we have Dominic Soberslay playing fullback to fullback and let's control the midfield with our three midfielders. In my opinion, that's the reason why they had the upper hand in the first half, because they pressed us better and on the ball. Both teams are really comfortable. In the second half, we pressed, in my opinion, really well. So for me, after 45 minutes, we got the upper hand, which in the end, we needed a moment of magic to win the game. So I'm not standing here that tactics had anything to do with winning the game, but good control from both teams over 90 minutes and a moment of magic was needed to win the game.

15:19I mean, Zubisla was actually brilliant before the free kick, right? Again, I would say, but not again in a sense of again as a right fullback, but again, I'm only working with him now for a little bit more over a season, but he, I think, shows what Liverpool is all about. Unbelievable character and sacrifices himself for the team if he has to play right winger right fullback as a 10 doesn't matter where he has to play he gives his best and again he was outstanding today as a fullback as he also is outstanding when he plays in the midfield for us what would you say if we take this as kind of that first block of games out the way out the way into the first international break what would you say about your players efforts with all the new sign-ins what would you say about the efforts in these first three matches?

16:10Hard games. We had to play, unlike last season, when we started the season, probably not against a team that ended the season in the first end. Now we had to play Bournemouth, started this season well, was last season really good, and Newcastle and Arsenal. So that's normally a tougher start, which you could also see in the games. But last season, after three games, these similar games, we had five points. Now we're on at nine, which is positive, but I also reminded our players that last season we were on nine after three games, different games, so after three games in the season. But the fourth game, the Forest fans would love me to say it one more time, we lost against Forest after the international break.

16:52How busy do you expect tomorrow to be, Arne? Quite busy because I have to take a flight at two o 'clock to go home, to go back to Arne now on a serious note. Let's wait and see. Again, it was positive for me that I could bring a few good substitutions in. But I haven't spoken to Richard yet, so I don't think it's a surprise that we are trying to see if we can strengthen the squad. But if that is not possible, we are more than happy to do it with this team because this team has shown that they can compete. The only thing we have to find out is if we are going to go to a programme with so many games, two a week or three a week, depends on how you want to see it.

17:36If that's enough, then as well. But again, like I said, very happy with the team we are having and they showed it again today.

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