“Today has to be the day,” Mikel Arteta said before kickoff, and the match that followed justified the tension in his voice. What unfolded was nothing like the cautious 1-0 contest these sides produced a year earlier. Liverpool, shaped by Andoni Iraola’s arrival over the summer, imposed a far more frantic rhythm on Arsenal and dragged the visitors into a game that never really settled.

Arteta’s team still found a way to win 1-0, a result that brought benefits for both sides while giving the neutral a wildly entertaining afternoon. The contrast in styles was clear from the start. Liverpool played with speed and verticality, in and out of possession, an approach Iraola had previously developed elsewhere and has now carried into Merseyside. Arteta had warned before the trip: “This is a team that is very vertical, they have the capacity to generate chaos from almost every situation.”

Arsenal initially handled that pressure well. They controlled the opening quarter-hour, took a deserved lead and did not allow Liverpool a shot or a touch in their box during that spell. Even so, the hosts finished the first half with 28 touches in the Arsenal penalty area, a Premier League record for a first half against the Gunners.

The visitors were forced to defend with real desperation, though this was a contest they had prepared for. “I expect big chaos in the game,” Gabriel said before the match. “We are ready.” Arteta’s side ended with a physically imposing lineup, and Declan Rice summed up the feeling afterward: “That togetherness we have is undefeated.”

Rice was central to the breakthrough too, driving beyond Noni Madueke’s right shoulder before delivering the ball across for the opening goal. His attacking influence has grown sharply this season, with five Premier League assists already, all from open play.

Liverpool, despite drawing a blank on target, still created enough to feel frustrated. They posted 17 shots and 1.15 expected goals, with several efforts flashing wide from promising positions. Their case was not helped by referee Andy Madley, who missed a clear tug on Alexander Isak in the box, prompting Jamie Carragher to say: “One of the best goalscorers in the league is pulled back seven yards out and it stops him heading the ball-why does he need to make a meal of it? VAR do your job.”

There was more late drama when Alexis Mac Allister and Martín Ødegaard became involved in a brief flashpoint, while Madueke escaped a second caution. Liverpool also had to turn to Trey Nyoni, who was making the first Premier League start of his career after Szoboszlai was left out as a precaution.

Alexis Mac Allister has offered a guarded but revealing update on his Liverpool future, suggesting that the club’s recent structural changes could yet shape what happens next. The midfielder admitted earlier that he was “very, very sad” not to be offered a new contract, but now says the picture has shifted since a new leadership team arrived at Anfield.

“Not much to be honest, the situation didn’t change,” Mac Allister told Sky Sports, smiling when asked about his contract situation. “But there’s a new sporting director, there’s a new ownership coming into the club, so everything can happen and we will see.

“Whether it’s this season or next season we will see what happens. But right now I’m just enjoying my football, enjoying playing for this amazing club that is one of the best in the world. And we will see, we will see in the future what happens.”

Mac Allister’s deal runs until the summer of 2028, and after a difficult 2025–26 campaign for both player and club, Liverpool were not expected to rush into extension talks. Yet the 2022 World Cup champion has started 2026–27 in far stronger form, looking more like the influential figure who helped drive Liverpool to the 2024–25 Premier League title.

He credited the current setup for restoring his rhythm. “I feel like we are all connected, more compact” Mac Allister said. “And as I said before, we all know what we have to do. That makes my job much easier, for sure. And when I do well I always speak about my teammates; I think they make my life easier and without them, I would be nothing.

“I only try to speak to them quite a lot, I think it’s important to have the communication. And then on the ball we have a lot of freedom, so I try to do what I like that is having the ball, having the possession, sometimes being direct. There is a lot of things that I think improved my game this season after a really difficult season that we had, but we are all in a very good position right now and hopefully we can keep showing it on the pitch.”

The Argentine has become a regular in midfield over the past month and has five goals already, one short of last season’s total. Manager Andoni Iraola was similarly upbeat about the situation, saying: “The most important thing from that is that he wants to stay here,” Iraola said, via The Guardian . “That is very important. He wants to work hard, he wants to be at his best so he can continue here helping us. A player of that level who has achieved what he has achieved, who can be as clear as that with his intentions, is very good for us because I appreciate him a lot. He’s a top player.”

With his contract unresolved, Mac Allister says his focus is on trophies. “Success at this club is always winning,” Mac allister said bluntly. “We know that the Carabao Cup we are close , but for us the Champions League and Premier League are really, really important.

“We are going to fight for every trophy, FA Cup as well. If we have the chance to win trophies we are going to go for it, and I think we have a coaching staff and a group of players that shows every single game that we want to win.

“That’s being successful for me, for the team. I feel, to have that bond with the fans is already pretty important. So, hopefully it continues like this and we can win some trophies this year.”

Gameweek 9 brings a stacked Premier League schedule, with several meetings that carry clear weight in the early-season picture. The most eye-catching fixtures are Chelsea against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge and Liverpool’s home clash with Arsenal, while there are also plenty of tight contests elsewhere across the division.

At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea are tipped to come through 2-1 against a Manchester United side under pressure after back-to-back three-goal defeats to Como and Bournemouth. Michael Carrick remains in charge for the trip to west London after talks with Bruno Fernandes and the rest of the squad, but this feels like a critical test. Chelsea have their own issues, yet home advantage and the absence of João Pedro could still matter in a narrow contest.

Bournemouth’s strong run is expected to continue with a 2-1 win over Leeds United. The Cherries have produced a striking sequence of results across multiple competitions, and with Rayan, Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson supported by Eli Junior Kroupi’s return, they look well placed to extend that momentum.

Other calls point to draws for Brentford against Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United against Everton, while Coventry and Sunderland are forecast to cancel each other out. Hull are backed to edge Ipswich 1-0, and Manchester City are favoured to beat Brighton 3-2 in what could be the weekend’s most open game.

Tottenham are projected to keep improving with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, while Aston Villa are expected to defeat Fulham 3-0 after their recent uptick in form. The standout result, though, is at Anfield, where Arsenal are predicted to win 2-1 after Liverpool’s recent consistency meets a team looking to respond after a cup setback. The final matchup, Newcastle versus Everton, is also forecast to finish level.