Arsenal are looking to consolidate their spot at the top of the Premier League table, but unpredictable Liverpool stand in their way on Sunday.
The Gunners’ hunt for the Premier League trophy received a massive boost when they ended Tottenham Hotspur’s unbeaten league run, racing to a 3-1 victory over Antonio Conte’s men.
Although they were helped by Emerson Royal’s red card, Arsenal outclassed and outmanoeuvred their bitter north London rivals at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta fielded a weakened eleven for their midweek Europa League match against Bodo/Glimt, and his side came out 3-0 winners over the Norwegian club.
They will now be looking to extend their four-match winning run across all competitions at Liverpool’s expense.
After the thrilling 3-3 draw at home to Brighton & Hove Albion, the Reds enter this game on the back of a Champions League victory over Rangers.
Since their capitulation in Naples, Liverpool are yet to taste defeat, so it seems Jurgen Klopp has reinvented his side after an underwhelming start to the season by their high standards.
He switched to a 4-2-3-1 set-up from the usual 4-3-3, which yielded results as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah delivered the goods for the Reds.
Liverpool are far off where expectations assumed they would be this season, but a good run of form will do their confidence a world of good.
They have matched their longest unbeaten run this season, having recorded two wins in their last three games. However, they are without a league win since their narrow 2-1 success over Newcastle United in August.
The strength of their reinvention will be tested at the home of the rampaging league leaders, who are reluctant to relinquish top spot, especially with reigning champions Manchester City breathing down their necks.
Match Preview
Arsenal
Arsenal have lost one of their two matches against the traditional ‘Big Six’ after suffering defeat against Manchester United last month.
They were awe-inspiring against their N=north London rivals, but Liverpool will ask different questions, especially as they will come into the tie sitting uncomfortably in ninth position.
While the Merseyside club are not the juggernauts they once were, Arsenal’s recent record against the Reds is appalling.
The Gunners have beaten a Jurgen Klopp-led Liverpool just once in the Premier League, and that came after the Anfield club had wrapped up the Premier League title in 2020.
Liverpool
Although his side have lost just once in their last 19 meetings against Arsenal since 2015 (W10, D8), Klopp will be wary of the Gunners as Arteta’s side are at full strength after resting key players in their last outing.
Shape-shifting his side worked against Rangers, but whether it will be enough to see off Arsenal remains to be seen, as the Gunners have yet to drop points at home this term.
They have won just two of their seven games this season, and they need to draw inspiration from their impressive record against Arsenal and rally to a victory at the Emirates.
Arsenal vs Liverpool Potential Line-ups
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Aaron Ramsdale; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Kieran Tierny; Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey; Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli; Gabriel Jesus.
Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Konstantinos Tsimikas, Virgil Van Dijk, Joel Matip, Trent Alexander-Arnold; Thiago Alcantara, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson; Luis Diaz, Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah.
How to Watch?
Arsenal vs Liverpool, alongside all other fixtures in England’s top flight, is available to watch online via live Premier League streams.
Arsenal vs Liverpool Prediction
Form rarely matters in the big games as the battling clubs play for pride and points, but Liverpool will be pretty confident ahead of the clash owing to their mind-boggling stats against their hosts.
Clashes between these two always promise goals, so while we expect a high-scoring tie, both sides may have to settle for a draw.
Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool
