Arsenal’s start to the 2025/26 Premier League season has been interesting. After three straight runners-up finishes, there’s a feeling around the Emirates that the time is now for Mikel Arteta to end a 22-year drought and finally deliver the title to North London. Big money signings Viktor Gyökeres, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, and Noni Madueke have fans dreaming of ascending the throne at long last, and the start to the new campaign has rubber-stamped their club’s title credentials.
The opening day victory away at Manchester United was the performance of champions, with Arsenal well below their best but still managing to grind out a 1-0 win away at the home of one of their greatest rivals. The following 5-0 demolition at home to Leeds dispelled the recent woes of the last three campaigns, where the Gunners struggled to put goals past lowly opposition, and often left with one point rather than three.
Those performances set up a crunch clash with the reigning champions at Liverpool, with both title challengers tied on six points at the Premier League’s summit, as well as being level in the online betting charts. Before that clash, online sports betting at Bovada odds had both teams dead level as 7/4 joint favourites. Now, though, it’s the Reds who stand alone.
Liverpool Reign Supreme at Anfield
Arsenal headed to Anfield in the hopes of leaving with a point, perhaps even all three. The Gunners never looked truly threatened throughout the contest and were certainly good value for a draw. It was always going to take something spectacular to break the deadlock, and unfortunately for the visitors, it was Liverpool who found it.
With time ticking away, Liverpool were awarded a free kick that seemed far too distant to cause David Raya problems. Dominik Szoboszlai had other ideas. The Hungarian stepped up and lashed a venomous strike towards goal, with the ball rattling in off the left-hand post and sending the Kop into raptures. Arsenal pressed in the few minutes that remained but were unable to find an equaliser, and now the aforementioned Bovada makes the Reds the 5/4 favourites for the title.
But any Arsenal fan panicking following the defeat shouldn’t be. Here are four reasons why.
Injury-Riddled Gunners More Than a Match for the Champions
Anfield is never an easy place to visit – just ask the likes of Barcelona and Manchester City, both of whom have suffered devastating losses at the home of the champions. The task at hand is all the more difficult when your best players are injured. The Gunners headed north without their talisman, Bukayo Saka, and captain Martin Ødegaard, while star central defender William Saliba was carted off with an injury of his own after just five minutes.
Despite all of that, Arsenal never truly looked threatened, never really looked like conceding, and as we have mentioned before, were good value for a point. With a fully fit squad, the Gunners will be more than capable of inflicting a defeat of their own on the reigning champions.
The Season is Still Young
Yes, Arsenal are now three points behind in the title race, but the 2025/26 season is still in its infancy. This was just the third game of the season, and there is plenty more football to be played. Arteta’s side already has a victory away at Manchester United under their belt. Will Liverpool be able to repeat that when they head to Old Trafford? If they can’t, then their three-point deficit is already eroded.
Liverpool Still Have to Visit the Emirates
Liverpool may well have beaten Arsenal, but let’s face it, they should have and needed to. They were at home, with a raucous Anfield crowd at their back. And, as we have mentioned, the Gunners were riddled by injury. Even so, it took an 83rd-minute 30-yard thunderbolt to secure the win.
Now, the Reds have to head to the Emirates for the return fixture. Will Mikel Arteta’s men, bolstered with the returns of their star player and their captain, have as much difficulty finding a breakthrough? We will find out in January.
Arsenal’s Required Improvement Isn’t Against the Big Six
Throughout Arsenal’s last three second-place finishes, their struggles haven’t come against the Big Six. Last season, not a single defeat was dealt to them by their biggest title rivals, with the Gunners twice drawing to Liverpool while beating the four other ‘Big Six’ members on home turf. If the title is to finally come to the Emirates Stadium, it’s the lowly opposition that they must improve against.
Bournemouth and West Ham both handed Arsenal defeats last term. Add to that the fact that Crystal Palace, Brentford, Aston Villa, Everton, and Brighton all managed to escape North London with a point, and it’s clear to see where the ten-point deficit to the Reds can be made up.
The Gunners must focus on turning one point into three against such opponents, while maintaining their impressive form against the Big Six. Yes, Liverpool emerged victorious in this early-season clash at Anfield, but it won’t make or break Arsenal’s season.
