Arsenal just ripped Liverpool apart inside one minute to go 1-0 up, it was liquid football

Arsenal have taken a 1-0 lead against Liverpool inside one minute this afternoon after a stunning Gabriel Martinelli goal.

The Gunners entered the contest in second place following Manchester City's 4-0 victory against Southampton.

Mikel Arteta's side started on the front foot and got their reward 58 seconds in through Martinelli's fourth of the campaign.

Bukayo Saka played a ball to Martin Odegaard, who spotted Martinelli's run out wide.

He threaded it between an outstretching Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joel Matip for the Brazil international, who fired a first-time effort past Alisson to send the Emirates Stadium wild.

A VAR check threatened to rule the goal out for offside, but it was given after a delay.

Fans have reacted to Arsenal's early dominance and they think teams no longer fear Liverpool.

One person tweeted: "If it wasn't clear already, Liverpool have definitely lost their fear factor."

Another said: "Arsenal are the real deal aren't they?"

A third put: "I can't believe how easy that was."

While someone added: "Incredible from Martinelli after a sensational ball from Odegaard."

Liverpool did grow into the game and believed they should've received a penalty after Gabriel appeared to handball a Diogo Jota pass.

Arsenal were given a scare by goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, but he managed to shake off a potential hamstring injury.

Later in the half, Reds full-back Alexander-Arnold took a nasty one from Martinelli but returned to the pitch.

Darwin Nunez equalised just past the half hour mark with a smart finish.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp paid tribute to Arsenal, who finished fifth in the Premier League term, in his pre-match press conference on Friday and declared they were now title contenders.

Klopp said: "All my respect, wow! Really good job from Mikel [Arteta]. When you need time, nobody wants to give you time and I have lots of respect for it.

"[Gabriel] Martinelli, very early I was excited about him. He's become exactly the player I expected. Martin Odegaard, I spoke to him when he was 15 in Norway when the whole world wanted him. [Bukayo] Saka… oof. Since the first day he played he's been incredible.

Gabriel Jesus, Mikel could see how good he could be not in a Man City shirt and in a fixed No.9 position. He signed Oleksandr Zinchenko, brought Granit Xhaka back on track. Thomas Partey, everyone saw how good he was at Atletico Madrid. Lots of quality. A young, exciting team doing really well."