It will be a clash of two title contenders when Arsenal welcomes Merseyside big boys Liverpool to the Emirates in a game that could decide the direction of the Premier League title.
Both clubs have had a good season so far, with Liverpool sitting pretty at the top of the standings while Arsenal are following closely in second place.
Arsenal FC experienced a flurry of activity during the summer transfer window, witnessing significant player departures and notable acquisitions. Long-time servant Granit Xhaka departed for Bayer Leverkusen in the German Bundesliga. At the same time, Folarin Balogun moved to Monaco, goalkeeper Matt Turner to Nottingham Forest, Pablo Mari to Monza in the Italian Serie A, and Rob Holding to Crystal Palace.
Several players also went out on loan, with Kieran Tierney joining Real Sociedad, Nuno Tavares to Nottingham Forest, and promising winger Marquinhos to FC Nantes. Nicolas Pépé, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, and Sambi Lonkonga left on free transfers, finding new homes at Trabzonspor, Olympique Lyon, and Luton Town, respectively.
On the recruitment front, Arsenal secured prominent signings, including Declan Rice from West Ham, Kai Havertz from London rivals Chelsea, Jurrien Timber from Ajax Amsterdam, and the current starting goalkeeper David Raya on loan from Brentford.
Their transfer decisions have yielded fruits, as they have won eleven of their 16 games this season. However, they have also suffered losses to Aston Villa and Newcastle United.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have enjoyed a promising start to the season, sitting on top of the Premier League with 37 points after 16 games. The team experienced notable departures during the summer, primarily to the Saudi Pro League. Former captain Jordan Henderson joined Al-Ettifaq alongside club legend Steven Gerrard, while Roberto Firmino and Fabinho headed to Al-Ahli Saudi and Al-Ittihad, respectively.
Other exits included Naby Keita to Werder Bremen after the expiration of his contract, Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain to Besiktas, James Milner to Brighton and Hove Albion, Fabio Carvalho on loan to RB Leipzig, and Arthur Melo, who left at the end of a challenging loan spell.
Marquee signings strengthened the squad, with Hungarian captain Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig, World Cup winner Alexis MacAllister from Brighton and Hove Albion, Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich, and Wataru Endo joining the ranks from the Bundesliga.
The Reds started their Premier League campaign with an entertaining 1-1 draw against Chelsea, followed by five consecutive wins against Bournemouth, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Wolves, and West Ham. Notably, Liverpool beat Newcastle with Darwin Nunez pulling up heroics after captain Virgil Van Dijk was sent off early in the game.
The team faced their first defeat in a dramatic loss to Tottenham Hotspur, ending with nine men due to red cards for Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota. Subsequent matches included a 2-2 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion, victories against Everton, Nottingham Forest, Luton Town, Brentford, Fulham, and Sheffield, and a hard-fought win over Crystal Palace that saw Salah score his 200th goal for the club.
The game between Arsenal and Liverpool always produces excitement and goals, so spectators are guaranteed a lot of attacking activity. The last ten meetings between both sides have seen 26 goals scored.
In recent times, Liverpool has dominated the tie, winning five and losing just once to Arsenal (after 90 minutes). The Red scored 19 goals in the last ten games, while the Gunners scored seven.
The game will be at Emirates, but the home advantage has yet to play in Arsenal’s favor, as they have beaten Liverpool just twice in their last five meetings. However, Arsenal have not lost any game in front of their home fans this season.
Match tickets
The epic match at Emirates Stadium in London starts on Saturday, February 3rd, 2024, at 3 PM UK time.
The magnificent 60,704-capacity stadium will host this fixture between the Premier League title contenders.
Getting tickets for the Arsenal vs Liverpool tickets could take a lot of work, given the standard of this game. Hence, you are advised to search ticket reselling sites should they be expected to be sold out on each club’s channels.
Team news
Line-ups
Coach Mikel Arteta has some serious injury problems. Takehiro Tomiyasu is out with a calf injury, and he could miss the clash, depending on how quickly he recovers.
Also, Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey will return in January after missing several weeks with a thigh injury. But he could be at the Africa Cup of Nations. Fabio Vieira will return in mid-January and should make the squad for the game.
However, Dutch defender Jurrien Timber will likely miss out on the game after sustaining an ACL in the season’s first game.
Arsenal: David Raya; Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel, William Saliba, Ben White; Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard; Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka.
Liverpool’s upcoming fixture might see the return of some previously injured players. Spanish midfielder Stefan Bajcetic is expected to recover from a calf injury. Diogo Jota will be back by January after a muscle injury, while Joel Matip is, unfortunately, out for the season due to an anterior cruciate ligament rupture.
Alexis MacAllister’s injury from the Sheffield United match has uncertain recovery time. It could be out for a while, but Klopp will be hopeful that the Argentine World Cup-winning star will return in January. Meanwhile, Thiago Alcantara and Andy Robertson remain long-term absentees due to hip and shoulder injuries.
Attacking talisman Mohammed Salah may miss the game, too, because of the AFCON.
Liverpool: Alison Becker, Kostantinos Tsimikas, Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ryan Gravenberch, Wataru Endo, Dominik Szoboszlai, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, and Mohammed Salah.
Prediction
The game promises to be exciting because both teams are known for their attacking prowess and notorious high defensive lines. So, there should be goals in the institution.
Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool