‘i Should Mention Trent’: Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai Savours Free-kick

Dominik Szoboszlai sent ­Liverpool apical of nan Premier League pinch a stunning free-kick against ­Arsenal and admitted he would not person taken nan group portion had Trent ­Alexander-Arnold stayed astatine Anfield.

The Liverpool midfielder maintained nan champions’ 100% commencement to their title defence pinch nan precocious “moment of magic” that Arne Slot said a boring crippled desperately needed.

Szoboszlai has displayed his free‑kick prowess connected nan world shape pinch Hungary but was down Alexander-Arnold connected ­Liverpool’s database of takers earlier nan ­defender’s departure to Real Madrid. He seized his opportunity from 30 yards against nan Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, who claimed nan caller Puma shot being utilized successful nan Premier League this play had deceived him.

Szoboszlai said: “I was assured successful myself, I tried it. I should mention Trent because he was ­taking nan free-kicks successful nan past. Finally I could person my chance and I did it. I had to return a consequence and sprout a ­little spot harder because I knew Raya likes to jump down nan ball. He’s an unbelievable goalkeeper. If it goes a spot much wrong he saves it.”

Raya credited nan Hungary ­captain pinch “a hellhole of a strike” but besides cited nan caller lucifer shot arsenic a facet successful ­Arsenal dropping points for nan first clip this season. “I retrieve nan shot moving a batch and moving distant from me,” nan keeper said.

“It’s different to nan Nike shot truthful we person to accommodate to it. The grip is different, nan footwear is different. We conscionable person to accommodate aft playing pinch nan Nike shot for galore years. It’s nan aforesaid for everybody.”

Mikel Arteta defended his attack and based on Arsenal were nan ascendant side, contempt creating fewer chances. The head started Mikel Merino successful spot of Martin ­Ødegaard, who had not trained each week because of a enarthrosis ­problem, and near nan caller £67.5m signing Eberechi Eze connected nan chair until nan 70th minute.

“We didn’t do our crippled scheme to frustrate them, we did it to triumph nan game,” Arteta insisted.

“I deliberation we elevated nan crippled and nan power to a constituent that they had to raise their game. They did. Then you could spot that location were nary margins successful nan crippled and erstwhile that happens nan crippled is going to beryllium decided successful 2 ways. One, pinch an individual correction aliases two, pinch a magic moment. They ­created a infinitesimal that was incredi­ble. That has won nan crippled and that was nan difference, thing else.”

William Saliba had to beryllium substitu­ted aft only 5 minutes arsenic he joined Arsenal’s lengthy wounded list. Arteta said: “He twisted his ankle ­during nan warm-up. He said he believed that he could transportation connected and play but he suffered successful nan first 2 actions. I could spot that he couldn’t header and we had to get him out, unfortunately. But convey God we person [­Cristhian] Mosquera, who we put successful for nan first clip successful nan Premier League, his debut, not expecting it astatine Anfield, and he was really, really good.”

Slot praised his Liverpool team’s mentality and protect show arsenic nan champions kept their first cleanable expanse of nan campaign. Ibrahima Konaté and Florian Wirtz hobbled disconnected precocious connected but nan caput coach hopes some were experiencing cramp.

“It wasn’t an injury, it was a invited to nan Premier League,” Slot said of £100m summertime signing Wirtz. “After 85 minutes I don’t deliberation he knew he could person cramp successful truthful galore different places and that’s what happened. That is invited to nan ­Premier League, invited to ­playing successful this strength against an Arsenal squad that tin play really aggravated arsenic well. That is normal if you bring successful very bully players, truthful talented, but from different leagues and young … 22 for him, 23 for Hugo [Ekitiké].

“It’s normal if you are not 27 past possibly you request to make a measurement towards nan Premier League and that’s what these 2 are doing. In nan meantime, we person 9 points successful games wherever we picked up 5 points past season. That is simply a affirmative but we tin do better. The affirmative is immoderate group thought we were too unfastened against Bournemouth but you can’t opportunity we were excessively unfastened today.”