As disheartened fans spilled out of Anfield, nearly all conversations were about the referee and questions over why he did not point to the penalty spot in the first half when Jurrien Timber pulled back Alexander Isak.
They had a point and this game would have been completely different had Andy Madley – or VAR Stuart Attwell – seen what everyone else saw when Isak was an inch short of connecting with a header and possible goal because he was pulled back by his marker.
It was a similar situation to Liverpool’s only other defeat under new boss Andoni Iraola, where supporters were left aggrieved at the incorrect call to send off Ryan Gravenberch against Manchester City.
In both cases they were unlucky to be on the wrong side of refereeing mistakes and would have cursed the fine margins. But in both cases Reds fans will also realise their team just did not do enough to win too.
Just like against City, Liverpool dominated Arsenal for large parts of this match. It felt as though they were one magic moment or opposition mistake away from scoring and lfiting off the Anfield roof.
But in both cases, that moment never materialised. It felt like the Liverpool attackers were looking around waiting for somebody else to step up and be the man to start the pendulum swinging in Liverpool’s favour.
Alexander Isak and Liverpool’s attackers struggled against Arsenal’s defence
They had zero shots on target, according to Opta, and that is the only statistic that Iraola will be mulling over in the coming days.
Bradley Barcola, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak have all been frighteningly good in recent weeks but in this game, especially the second half, Liverpool’s big-money forwards looked like they had run out of ideas.
Arsenal defended like their lives depended on it and their away fans, who barely saw the ball down their end of the pitch after half-time, celebrated every Gabriel header or David Raya catch like a goal.
The home team, meanwhile, were left throwing long balls forward to Virgil van Dijk – the only player who could aerially compete with Arsenal’s team of giants. It felt like several Hail Mary passes but no one could answer Iraola’s prayers.
Liverpool’s two defeats to City and now Arsenal both demonstrate the gap between Iraola’s outfit and a genuine title contender. There is definitely a small level between Liverpool and Arsenal – but Reds fans can take solace in knowing it is not a chasm like last season.
A referee decision here, a better final ball there and Liverpool may be still unbeaten under Iraola and the whole country would consider them a title contender.
Iraola has closed the gap on the top teams but knows several tweaks are still needed to take that next step. Can they do it this season? It is far from impossible but seems a tall order.
The upcoming fixture list is kinder to them, at least. Of the current top eight, Liverpool have played all of them – two in the Carabao Cup – and won each test apart from City and Arsenal. The next two league games are against teams in 18th and 17th.
Florian Wirtz has improved recently but was unable to provide cutting edge on Sunday
But right now, Liverpool are a team with too many ‘ifs’, ‘buts’ and ‘maybes’. If Alexis Mac Allister did not get under a first-half header that looked like a certain goal… if the referee had given a clear foul on Isak… if the forwards packed their shooting boots.
As it was, for all of the nail-biting moments for Mikel Arteta on the touchline as Liverpool had lots of the ball in the final third, his goalkeeper David Raya could have had a cigar in and read the papers for most of the second half.
That is what will bother Iraola the most.
As for being a complete team able to compete for the league title again, Liverpool seem so close yet so far.
Trey bien
Trey Nyoni made his first Premier League start and it will not be his last after he put in a solid shift.
Though he misplaced some passes and was probably lucky to escape an early yellow card after two late challenges, the 19-year-old presents Iraola with an interesting tactical quirk.
The Englishman always wants the ball and drops into the back line to start attacks, with a maturity beyond his years.
He sits deep which allows Alexis Mac Allister to play as more of a box-to-box midfielder, undoubtedly his best position.
So where does this leave Ryan Gravenberch, who spent the afternoon on the bench? Given the amount of games Liverpool have across competitions, the Dutchman will still play many minutes — but he is currently at risk of falling down the pecking order thanks to the exciting talent of Nyoni.
There is also a conversation to be had about how Liverpool’s balance and control was lost when Nyoni was replaced by Dominik Szoboszlai.
Trey Nyoni excelled for the Reds and helped the home side control the tempo
Another Wirtz no show
Casual football fans who maybe only tune in for the big games have never seen Wirtz play well.
They must wonder what all the fuss is about.
The German has been on fine form in recent weeks but has been like a ghost — no Halloween pun intended — in the two biggest matches against City and Arsenal.
It is all well and good performing against teams like LASK in the Champions League but Wirtz, at £116million, was signed to make a difference in these blockbuster clashes.
Instead, his national team colleague Kai Havertz continued his record of impacting the games that really matter come May. How Wirtz could do with some of that killer instinct.
READ: Liverpool 0-1 Arsenal PLAYER RATINGS: Whose touch let him down? Who produced another promising display after facing scrutiny? And how did youngster Trey Nyoni settle in?
