Szoboszlai blast shoots down Gunners

Fulltime was approaching at Anfield on Sunday and it was clear something special was needed to separate Liverpool and Arsenal, as they slugged out an early-season heavyweight contest in the Premier League.

Enter Dominik Szoboszlai.

With a long-range freekick that flew in off the post in the 83rd minute, Szoboszlai earned Liverpool a hard-fought 1-0 win over the opponent most likely to be the biggest challenger to its title.

"The game needed a moment of magic for either team to win it," Liverpool manager Arne Slot said, adding: "And it was Dominik who provided it."

Many thought Manchester City would be back in the title race this season, but perhaps not. Collapsing to a 2-1 loss at Brighton, for a second straight loss, was another sign that Pep Guardiola's once-dominant team has lost its aura.

"This is the reality — we are not at the level from a long time (ago)," City midfielder Rodri said.

Szoboszlai is popular among Liverpool fans for his work ethic and versatility, and the Hungary midfielder was filling in at rightback — for so long the position of the now-departed Trent Alexander-Arnold — because of injuries to Conor Bradley and new arrival Jeremie Frimpong.

Szoboszlai did his best impersonation of Alexander-Arnold with a top-quality dead-ball strike that was out of keeping with the rest of the game.

"Until now, Trent was taking them," Szoboszlai said of his former teammate who now plays for Real Madrid. "Now, I could finally take one."

It secured a third straight win for Liverpool, with the defending champion the only team on a maximum nine points after three rounds of the Premier League. It's already beaten two tough rivals in Newcastle and Arsenal, too.

As for Arsenal, it was a first loss this season — extending a winless streak at Anfield that dates back to 2012 — and a first league goal conceded by a defense that was without centerback William Saliba from the fifth minute at Anfield because of a leg injury.

"When you play against this kind of team, and at a high level where the margins are minimal, they can be decided by a magic moment," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. "We needed that moment for us and we didn't have it."

Same issues for Pep

Manchester City's defeat at Brighton followed a 2-0 home loss to Tottenham the previous weekend, demonstrating the same vulnerabilities and brittleness the deposed champion showed last season, when it surrendered the crown to Liverpool after four consecutive titles.

Brajan Gruda surged through an open defense, rounded goalkeeper James Trafford and slotted into an empty net for the Seagulls'89th-minute winner, after trailing to Erling Haaland's first-half strike — his 88th goal in 100 Premier League appearances since moving to England in 2022.

City, which gave a first start to Ballon d'Or winner Rodri since September last year following a serious knee injury, conceded an equalizer in the 67th minute after Matheus Nunes raised his arm in the area to block a shot on goal.

James Milner converted the penalty for Brighton to become — at age 39 years and 239 days — the second-oldest scorer in Premier League history. He is also the second youngest, having netted as a 16-year-old for Leeds.

With City noticeably fading, Brighton created a succession of chances before Gruda converted to seal a repeat of his team's come-from-behind 2-1 win over City last season.

"We forgot how to play," Guardiola said.

City's only points so far this season have come from a 4-0 opening-round win at Wolverhampton, after which pundits declared Guardiola's team was back. Now, it has fewer points than Manchester United.

Surprise win for West Ham

West Ham eased the pressure on manager Graham Potter with a 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest, secured by goals from the 84th minute by Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta — from the penalty spot — and Callum Wilson.

West Ham lost its first two games in the league, conceding eight goals in the process, and was also eliminated from the English League Cup in midweek.

Paqueta, the Brazil midfielder, celebrated his successful penalty kick by pretending to answer a call and throw away a phone before kissing the badge on his jersey — perhaps a nod to being linked over the previous 24 hours with a move to Aston Villa.

Martinez left out of Villa team

World Cup-winning Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez was left out of Aston Villa's team for its 3-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace amid speculation about his future.

Reports had linked Martinez with a move to Manchester United ahead of the transfer window closing on Monday, and Villa manager Unai Emery chose to play Marco Bizot in goal instead.

Bizot gave away a penalty that was converted in the 21st minute by Jean-Philippe Mateta to give Palace the lead, before captain Marc Guehi — reportedly the subject of a bid from Liverpool — curled a second into the top corner in the 68th. Ismaila Sarr added a third before going off injured.

Agencies Via Xinhua