Paul Merson: Arsenal showed mark of champions against Liverpool in 'defensive masterclass' victory at Anfield

After Arsenal moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 win at Liverpool on Super Sunday, Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson says the Gunners' victory showed the sign of champions at Anfield.

Kai Havertz's 16th-minute winner went on to prove enough to settle the game and give Arsenal a first win at Liverpool in 14 years and their fourth straight league win.

In doing so, they became the first team to deny the Reds a single shot on target in a home league match since Opta records began in 2003.

Former Arsenal midfielder Merson had tipped the Gunners to get beaten at Anfield but believes Sunday's victory showed they have the mark of champions, dispelling any doubts of a drop-off following their shock 3-0 defeat at Brighton last month...

'Arsenal showed mark of champions'

The way Arsenal defend, everyone does the right thing. When you're watching top, top players who have just won the league and still defend like they do, it's a masterclass.

They got away with a couple of things with the VAR and the pull back and things like that but bar that, credit where it's due. David Raya didn't really make a save.

You could call it a mark of champions. Let's not get away from the situation with Man City, but you just can't see anything but an Arsenal title. I said at the start of the season they'd win it by double digits and no doubt they will.

They haven't won at Liverpool in 13 years and they've just gone and done it. They got beaten by Brighton 3-0 and you wonder whether they've taken their foot off the pedal after winning the league.

'They've gone back to type since Brighton'

When they won it [the Premier League], I thought we'd see an Arsenal team which goes out and plays with a little bit more flair. They bought Bruno Guimaraes who's a good footballer and started well but then they go to Brighton and get destroyed - and I mean destroyed.

They probably have a meeting and think they need to go back to what won them everything. I thought they were outstanding in the first 20 minutes on Sunday, and if they'd got a second goal they would have won comfortably.

But after they didn't, they shut up shop and said to break them down. It should've been a penalty on Alexander Isak but for all the ball Liverpool had around the box, Raya never made a save.

They've gone back to type, they are an absolutely machine - at the highest level.

'Arteta must go to bed and think... wow'

They are top, top players and every player should look at this team. Every manager's dream would be this Arsenal team. Mikel Arteta must go to bed and think, 'wow'. Everything he tells them to do, they do it. You can't say that about Michael Carrick, can you?

I can't see anyone beating them to the league title. They'll win it comfortably.

They had the second half at Anfield completely under control. My one question in the Champions League is whether they have it in them to hurt you on the counter-attack. If Liverpool were 1-0 down to PSG yesterday, when PSG have their three up front you're thinking they'll pick the right pass on the counter and win it three or four.

Arsenal just haven't got that little bit of guile on the ball.

They don't have to score a lot of goals in the Premier League though, because this team is unbelievable to watch.