Declan Rice hailed Arsenal‘s togetherness after they ended a 14-year wait for a victory at Anfield by beating Liverpool 1-0.

The Gunners prevailed away at Liverpool for the first time since 2012 as Kai Havertz’s first-half strike proved decisive and sent Arsenal three points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.

Arsenal survived an intense spell of Liverpool pressure after going ahead and were largely untroubled in the second half, with Andoni Iraola’s men failing to register a shot on target.

Asked about Arsenal’s efforts in keeping Liverpool at bay, Rice told Sky Sports: “That is the Anfield way, that is what this Liverpool team can do and they just create waves and waves of attack. Relentless attacks. 

“We knew it wouldn’t have been easy but in the end that defensive line and that togetherness is undefeated, nothing I have ever seen before.”

Rice’s superb cross to the far post allowed Havertz to break the deadlock, his fifth Premier League assist of the season.

“The manager had a really good, honest conversation with me at the start of the season,” Rice added.

“He still thinks I can do more for this club and this shirt and I think I have been feeling really good this season. 

“I am so happy for Havertz because he deserved that goal and ultimately the 1-0 win. It is demanding but this is what this team does. You can only take the table seriously in the February, March games; anything between now and then, you have to just win.”

Arteta, who was in the starting XI in 2012 for Arsenal’s previous victory at Anfield, felt his side’s spirit was especially impressive given the game came on the heels of a stunning EFL Cup exit at the hands of League Two Fleetwood Town.

“It’s been 14 years, that’s a long time. I’m sure we made everybody attached to the club extremely proud today,” Arteta told Sky Sports. “Not only for the victory but for the way we’ve done it, the spirit we’ve shown. Especially considering what happened four days ago when you lose and go out of the cup against a team you are supposed to beat.

“That’s the magical part of this game, it can take you to really bad places but four days later you have the opportunity to do something really historic and we’ve done it.

“I think we have to give credit to the players for the situations and chances today that we didn’t put away. Overall, to win against a team that is producing what they are doing, and also in the emotional state after Fleetwood, that’s what a winning team should do.”

“This is something you want to accomplish. That’s the challenge and mission you want to accomplish. I love it when it’s something we have not done for many years. It was the same with Chelsea away and Manchester United away. To be able to beat all those, that’s the purpose and motivation and why we do what we do.”

Iraola will tell Isak to dive

Liverpool’s defeat left them nine points adrift of Arsenal at the top, though the hosts were aggrieved as a series of penalty shouts were dismissed.

Iraola was most irritated by an incident that saw Jurrien Timber pull Alexander Isak’s shirt in the area, preventing him from getting to an inviting Bradley Barcola cross.

Isak did not go down under the contact, but Iraola made it clear he will instruct the striker to do so in such circumstances in future.

Asked about the penalty appeals by Sky Sports, Iraola said: “Especially the Alex one. [Cody] Gakpo was sustained holding, I understand. The Alex one is a clear penalty.

“You hold the shirt, we can all see that he holds the shirt. Because he doesn’t go to the floor, you are not going to call the penalty. I don’t understand it.

“That’s the problem we have with the game. Because he doesn’t dive and go to the floor. The fact that you are even asking me if he should go to the floor, if he goes to the floor, they call the penalty 100 percent.

“It shouldn’t be like this but it is what it is. Next time, the managers should tell Alex to go to the floor, otherwise they won’t call it.”

Pressed if he will tell Isak to go down, Iraola replied: “Yes, definitely.”