ARSENAL 2-0 WIN OVER LIVERPOOL

Arteta and Diaby were hugely effective. The former set Arsenal's heartbeat and was eternally available to receive the ball. Alongside him, Diaby rampaged like Yaya Toure at his best and was completely and utterly dominant.

Diaby has been wracked by injury problems in his eight years at Arsenal, and this was a performance to show Gunners fans what they've been missing. If Arsene Wenger can keep him fit—and it's a big if—Diaby can be among the Premier League's best this season.

As can Santi Cazorla, the gifted Spanish midfielder who arrived from Malaga this summer and has sparkled as brightly as anyone in the first three games of the new campaign.

Cazorla laid on Lukas Podolski for Arsenal's first and scored their second in a performance that oozed class and confirmed his status as Wenger's new creator supreme. 

Liverpool had no one to match him. Allen played neatly and achieved 93-percent pass accuracy, but his is an oiling role in the Liverpool engine that requires those around him to fire, and they didn't.

New arrival Sahin was quiet on his debut and made way for Jonjo Shelvey with 20 minutes to go. Meanwhile, Gerrard was unrecognisable from the barnstorming Anfield match-winner we've come to admire so greatly over the years.

Are we seeing the slow decline of one of the Premier League's finest? Or simply a hangover from Euro 2012? Either way, Rodgers may be in for a very difficult decision if Gerrard continues in this vein for too many games.

Borini was another who failed to impress. The 21-year-old Italian's potential is clear, but he didn't see enough of the ball at Anfield and couldn't find a way to impose himself on the game.

You could level the same accusation at Olivier Giroud, but Arsenal's midfield three were so accomplished you barely noticed his peripheral contribution.

The result was a victory for Arsenal that means Liverpool have made their worst start to a season since the 1962-63 campaign (BBC Sport). It's far too early to undermine the Rodgers revolution, but questions must surely be asked of a team who fell so short in the most important area of the pitch.

For Arsenal, Podolski's goal represented their long-awaited first of the season, but they're still yet to concede. If Wenger can get his team scoring and if Diaby stays fit, who knows what they can achieve this season?

JUST A FEW THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT THE ARSENAL'S FIRST WIN

Liverpool 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal recorded their first Barclays Premier League victory of the season as goals in either half by two of their summer signings, Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla, sealed a 2-0 win for Arsene Wenger's side.

The north Londoners took the lead on 31 minutes when Steven Gerrard gave away possession in the visitors' half. Podolski played the ball to Cazorla and raced fully 50 yards to receive his return pass and plant a left-footed drive past Pepe Reina.

In a closely contested opening half Liverpool, for whom Daniel Agger had put a free header wide early on, narrowly missed out on an equaliser when the lively Raheem Sterling struck Vito Mannone's near post from 10 yards out on 38 minutes.

Shortly before the interval Olivier Giroud might have extended the Gunners' lead when picked out by Abou Diaby's reverse pass, but the recent signing from Montpellier fired wide.

Cazorla strike

Though Suarez tested Mannone from long range it was Arsene Wenger's side who looked more dangerous after the break and, after Reina was forced into a 53^rd-minute save from Kieran Gibbs, Arsenal doubled their lead midway through the second half as another one-two between Cazorla and Podolski resulted in the Spaniard's low finish.

Substitute Jonjo Shelvey forced Mannone into two late saves, while at the other end Arsenal almost added a third when Giroud rose unmarked to head a corner over the bar.

The Gunners were happy to settle for a first win of the campaign, a third successive clean sheet and seventh place in the standings. With just one point from their three matches, meanwhile, Liverpool lie in 17th place.