Liverpool’s Zero Hour

In the 20^th minute of the showcase match of the Premier League weekend – Liverpool versus Arsenal, the two most recent champions – the Merseyside hosts pressed far into opposition territory, threatening to score. Florian Wirtz, the league’s most expensive-signing when Liverpool brought him over from Bayer Leverkusen last year, skipped past an Arsenal holding midfielder or two, before passing the ball to Bradley Barcola on the overlap, Liverpool’s most-expensive signing this year.

Barcola instantly flicked the ball into Arsenal’s box, where Liverpool’s in-form striker Alexander Isak lurked. In what was perhaps the most controversial moment of the game, Isak looked to bury the cross into the net with a header, only to be held back by some shirt-pulling from Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber. The pundits thought it was a clear call for a penalty, which wasn’t given by the referee at Anfield. Either way, it was a most poignant moment for Liverpool, for when the ball whizzed threateningly by Isak’s head and past the goalpost, it would, in retrospect, go down as the team’s best chance in their 1-0 loss to the travelling side.

Think about that. A ball that swung inches away from the top corner, but away nevertheless, was Liverpool’s best chance to score at a home match in the Premier League. For, during the course of the full game – 90 minutes plus added time – Liverpool managed 17 attempts without putting a single one on target. Not one!

It was the first time in the Opta record, dating to 2003-04, or since serious stats-keeping began, that Liverpool had failed to register a shot on target in a Premier League game at Anfield. This was their 442nd home league match in that period. A ground accustomed to watching its forwards and wingers pepper visiting goalkeepers had witnessed an extraordinary inversion.

There was a time, not too long ago in fact, when a visit to Anfield meant a goalkeeper could expect a busy afternoon. Mo Salah, Sadio Mané and, before them, Roberto Firmino would send balls fizzing towards him from every angle, testing his reflexes, his positioning, his glove-work and occasionally his patience. Liverpool’s front three once made the opposition goalie a part of the spectacle, forcing save after save, or leaving him helpless as another shot flew past.

On Sunday, Arsenal’s David Raya barely had to participate.

This was not for want of territory. Liverpool had spells of extended pressure in deep areas, in and around Arsenal’s box, with heavyweight names on shirts to slot one, if not a few, in. Liverpool had, after all, spent lavishly trying to build what comes next after the old attacking order had disappeared in stages: after Salah, the last great attacking constant, departed in the summer.

Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong arrived in 2025, followed by the £123m signing of Barcola this year. Isak was another £125m statement of intent. Despite this most substantial investment, Liverpool didn’t force a save from the goalie on Sunday, at Anfield, playing against a side that may be champions, but also one that hadn’t won at Merseyside in 14 years.