Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya has attributed Dominik Szoboszlai's stunning free-kick in their 1-0 defeat against Liverpool to the new Puma match ball introduced for the 2025/26 season. The defeat at Anfield ended Arsenal's unbeaten run against Liverpool.

Szoboszlai's decisive goal came in the 83rd minute, a powerful strike from 30 yards out that clipped the post before finding the back of the net. Raya, who was rooted to the spot, suggested that goalkeepers are still getting used to the characteristics of the new ball. Puma has replaced Nike as the official ball supplier for the Premier League this season.

"It's a very good strike, especially with the new balls and everything," Raya said after the match. "We still have to adapt".

The match was a tightly contested affair, with both teams defending resolutely. Arsenal suffered an early setback when William Saliba was forced off with an injury in the opening minutes, replaced by Cristhian Mosquera. Liverpool had a goal disallowed in the 60th minute after a Wirtz shot was parried by Raya, and Gakpo was ruled offside before Ekitike bundled the ball in.

Mikel Arteta responded by bringing on Martin Ødegaard and Eberechi Eze in the second half, but Liverpool ultimately broke the deadlock through Szoboszlai's free-kick. Despite the loss, Arteta expressed pride in his players but acknowledged the need to find a way to win these big matches. He said the game was decided by "either an individual error or a magic moment," and it was a magic moment.

Liverpool's manager, Arne Slot, praised Szoboszlai's versatility and commitment to the team. Slot stated that winning against a strong team like Arsenal was a positive sign, while acknowledging they will know the true value of the victory at the end of the season.

Arsenal, who finished second to Liverpool last season, have had a mixed start to the new campaign. While they beat Manchester United 1-0 in their opening match, the loss against Liverpool highlighted areas for improvement.

Raya himself had a busy game, making a couple of saves. His stats for the 2024-25 Premier League season show 13 clean sheets and 86 saves in 38 appearances. This season, Raya earned the Man of the Match award in the win against Manchester United. However, his distribution was poor against Liverpool, completing less than half of his long passes.

The Gunners will aim to bounce back from this defeat as they prepare for their Champions League campaign and their next Premier League match against Manchester City.