Arsenal title path far more viable than Liverpool’s as they continue to render open play moot

They can’t keep getting away with this. Although they really might. And nor should Arsenal particularly care about the wider reaction if they do.

The suspicion always was that Liverpool’s position atop the Premier League table was built on thoroughly unstable and entirely insecure foundations. Late goals to salvage sub-optimal performances papered over some conspicuous cracks and the thin sheen of invincibility was soon forcibly removed.

Arsenal have taken advantage of those slips in a way they never really had before as chasers rather than pace-setters under Mikel Arteta. And while it will infuriate rivals and bother neutrals, this is as solid a platform as prospective champions could hope to have established.

1-0 to the Arsenal. Set piece again, ole, ole. It is neither the most exciting nor most stirring thing to watch, but Arsenal appear to have devised a more consistent and reliable blueprint for victory than anyone else.

If defence wins you titles then Arsenal might as well be crowned now. They have conceded three goals in 11 games in all competitions this season, with every other side having let in at least seven. Their only dropped points have been to the two sides who have won the last eight titles between them. And they are correcting some of the costly mistakes made in the last couple of campaigns.

In their opening eight games, Arsenal have already won three fixtures they lost in 2023/24 or 2024/25. Newcastle were finally vanquished at St James’ Park and the previously awkward West Ham dispatched before the international break, while a spirited Fulham were hung, drawn and cornered at Craven Cottage.

Marco Silva’s side impressed yet equally did not have a single attempt on target. The closest they came was a mis-hit Josh King cross which David Raya had to tip over, with Harry Wilson the opposite of shot-shy but the dictionary definition of ambitious in his efforts on goal.

Arsenal restricted them to a single (blocked) shot in the 40 minutes or so after Leandro Trossard diverted in Gabriel’s header from a Bukayo Saka corner. The hosts had moments until the visitors decided that was close enough and ushered them away.

It is impressive how Arsenal have almost rendered the entire concept of open-play football moot. This is all just a means to an end, a necessary and unavoidable evil in their quest to reduce the sport to set pieces for which they can assemble their myriad giants in either penalty area and please the almighty Nicolas Jover.

They have scored fewer open-play Premier League goals than Burnley and Brentford. And fair play to them for it because they have maximised the margins to an absurd degree.

And they do still play actual football every now and then. A smart Saka pass met clever movement from Viktor Gyokeres but the striker’s finish was found wanting, while the pair almost combined again to score in the second half but Timothy Castagne was on hand to clear on the line.

One really quite ludicrous move saw Arsenal break a spell of passing the ball around their defence for about two minutes when Jurrien Timber launched a stunning long ball over to Trossard, whose first-time pass into Riccardo Calafiori in the middle was instantly discharged into the top corner by a really quite daft footballer.

The supposed left-back had unfortunately strayed offside in his excitement but it was a breath-taking display of ability and technique from a group of players too often reduced to their physical attributes.

It is something we are all guilty of, and the source of most of the criticism levelled at Arteta. These staggeringly gifted players and Gyokeres are capable of the sublime rather than constant duel-winning automaticity.

But football is not as simple as a weirdly captivating point made by Michael Owen about defending being easier than attacking. Arsenal have mastered the former to make doing just about enough of the latter count. It is effective and it is damn sure sustainable.

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