Arsenal Secure First Anfield Win in 14 Years Amid Madueke and Mac Allister Controversy

Arsenal defeated Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield through a Kai Havertz goal, a match marked by Noni Madueke's claims that Alexis Mac Allister tried to 'bait' him into a red card.

Arsenal earned a 1-0 victory against Liverpool at Anfield on November 2, 2026, marking the club's first win at the stadium in 14 years. Kai Havertz provided the decisive moment by scoring the only goal of the match. During the win, Declan Rice maintained his position at the top of the Premier League assist chart for non-set-piece contributions.

A significant flashpoint occurred in the 79th minute when Arsenal forward Noni Madueke and Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister engaged in a face-to-face confrontation. Mac Allister went to the ground during the exchange, but neither the on-field referee nor the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) issued a booking or a dismissal. Following the final whistle, Madueke told reporters that the Argentine international was "clever" and attempted to bait him into receiving a red card, though he maintained his own actions were a "natural movement."

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher criticized Mac Allister’s behavior during the incident, labeling the midfielder's reaction as "embarrassing" and a "joke." Carragher argued that players are attempting to "game the system" by going down during head-to-head encounters to force dismissals. In a separate post-match comment, Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai questioned if his team was expected to dive to win a penalty.