Arsenal visits Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League, with the Gunners hoping to put their title credentials to the test while Jurgen Klopp’s team tries to catch up in the top four.
Team Form
Liverpool
Liverpool recently played Chelsea, and the game ended in a goalless draw. This is the fourth time in a row that neither team has scored in 90 minutes during their highly anticipated clashes.
Unfortunately, Liverpool’s recent form has been worrying. They have lost three games and drawn one in their last four matches. This form is typically associated with teams fighting for survival in the lower half of the table rather than competing for a spot in the prestigious Champions League.
As a result, Liverpool has slipped to eighth place in the league table, a whopping ten points behind fourth-placed Manchester United, who have played the same number of matches.
During their winless streak, Liverpool has only managed to score one goal. However, it is worth noting that all these games were away from home. Anfield, Liverpool’s home ground, has typically been a haven for the Merseyside club throughout their challenging season.
Liverpool PL Form: W W L L D
Arsenal
In a recent match against Leeds, Gabriel Jesus ended a 14-game goal drought with a brace, while Ben White and Granit Xhaka also found the back of the net in a 4-1 victory at the Emirates. This marks Arsenal’s second home win in a row by the same scoreline after their impressive performance against Crystal Palace.
With their dominant display, Arsenal holds an eight-point lead over Manchester City, who are in second place, thanks to their crushing win over Leeds.
However, Manchester City still has a game in hand and could reduce the gap if they win their upcoming match against Southampton on Saturday.
Since their defeat to Manchester City in April, Arsenal has shown the resilience of champions by winning seven Premier League games in a row. They will be looking to extend that winning streak this weekend and claim their fourth consecutive away win.
Arsenal has been the best-performing team on the road this season, taking an impressive 34 points out of a possible 42.
Arsenal PL Form: W W W W WĀ
Squad Report
Liverpool
Thiago Alcantara returned to full training after missing 10 games due to a hip problem. Virgil van Dijk also seems to have fully recovered from his illness, which kept him out of the previous game against Chelsea.
Unfortunately, Stefan Bajcetic (adductor), Calvin Ramsay (knee), and Naby Keita (muscle) will all be unavailable for selection and will watch from the sidelines.
Luis Diaz is working hard to regain fitness and train with the squad, but Jurgen Klopp is doubtful that the Colombian will make a comeback in the upcoming game.
Arsenal
Arsenal will have to do without the services of Eddie Nketiah, who is out with an ankle injury, and Takehiro Tomiyasu and Mohamed Elneny, who are both struggling with knee problems.
Mikel Arteta is still watching the fitness of William Saliba, who is currently struggling with a back problem. However, the chances of Saliba being available for the upcoming game against Liverpool at Anfield are slim to none.
Liverpool’s expected starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Elliott; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez
Arsenal’s expected starting lineup:
Ramsdale; White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Xhaka, Partey; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Jesus
Head to Head
Regarding the head-to-head record, Liverpool has a slight edge over Arsenal, with 94 victories out of 238 matches played between the two teams. In contrast, Arsenal has won 82 matches.
Time, Date & Venue
Date: Sunday, April 09
Time: 04:30 pm, BST
Venue: Anfield Stadium, Liverpool
Prediction
Arsenal’s defensive abilities have always been a point of concern, and with the probable absence of Saliba due to a back injury, Liverpool will be optimistic about their chances of finding the back of the net.
