Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC are entering Gameweek 9 of the Premier League. Premier League champions Arsenal are currently in second place on the table with 21 points from 8 matches (7 wins, 0 draws, 1 loss, +8 goal difference).
On the other hand, Liverpool, sitting in 4th place with 15 points, knocked Chelsea out at Anfield in a midweek EFL Cup penalty shootout. The Reds have won back-to-back league matches and have secured 5 consecutive wins. Liverpool has a strong record at Anfield as Arsenal hasn’t been able to win a Premier League fixture there since September 2012, going 13 visits without a single win.
Childhood friends Andoni Iraola and Mikel Arteta will go head-to-head on Sunday, November 1, at Anfield. Arsenal’s star winger Bukayo Saka is out for 6 to 8 weeks due to a quad injury, centre-back William Saliba is sidelined with a serious back injury, and Christos Tzolis is struggling with a hamstring issue. Max Dowman is suspended, while Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, and Riccardo Calafiori are all under fitness doubts.
Liverpool also looks pretty weakened, with midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai doubtful due to a recurring hamstring problem, right-back Jeremie Frimpong out with a hamstring tear, and striker Hugo Ekitike sidelined with an Achilles injury. Defenders Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are recovering from knee injuries, and Victor Munoz remains doubtful because of a knee complaint.
Where the game will be decided
The fight between Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister’s double pivot and Arsenal’s current best pair Declan Rice and Bruno Guimaraes will decide the tempo of the match. Whoever dominates the second balls in the central third will be able to stop the other team from launching lethal counter-attacks.
And then, Wirtz’s ability to find space between the lines will directly clash with Arsenal’s central shield. If Gabriel and Ezri Konsa have to step out of position to track Wirtz, it will open direct channels for Alexander Isak to exploit. If a center-back follows Wirtz even a few yards out of the defensive line, it tears open a gap, a vacancy, in the absolute heart of the penalty area.
Liverpool vs Arsenal odds and predictions
Prediction scoreline: Liverpool 2–1 Arsenal
If fans look at the reasoning behind the prediction, they’ll see that Liverpool has built up full-on momentum with consecutive wins. Despite the absence of Jeremie Frimpong and Bukayo Saka, Liverpool will likely create a psychological fortress at home, especially since Arsenal haven’t won any Premier League match at Anfield since 2012.
Another point to note is that, with the roaring support of the Anfield crowd and the dynamic link-up play between Wirtz and Isak, Liverpool clearly looks capable of breaking through Arsenal’s stubborn low block with their transitional speed to secure a high-octane win.
The predicted starting lineups for both teams (4-2-3-1 formation) are expected to be like this:
Liverpool: Alisson Becker (GK); Ronald Araujo (DR), Jeremy Jacquet (DC), Virgil van Dijk (DC), Milos Kerkez (DL); Ryan Gravenberch (DMC), Alexis Mac Allister (DMC); Bradley Barcola (AMR), Florian Wirtz (AMC), Cody Gakpo (AML); Alexander Isak (FW).
Arsenal: David Raya (GK); Jurrien Timber (DR), Ezri Konsa (DC), Gabriel Magalhaes (DC), Myles Lewis-Skelly or Riccardo Calafiori (DL); Declan Rice (DMC), Bruno Guimaraes or Myles Lewis-Skelly (DMC); Noni Madueke (AMR), Martin Odegaard (AMC), Eberechi Eze (AML); Kai Havertz (FW).
Liverpool manager Iraola mentioned that Giovanni Leoni is taking longer to recover than expected, and it will also be tough for Jeremie Frimpong to return before the break.
On the opposite, Arsenal manager Arteta clarified that Riccardo Calafiori’s rib issue seems minor, but there’s still concern that Bukayo Saka might be out for about two months.
In the upcoming period that fans will be watching, Liverpool will face Fenerbahce in Turkey on Wednesday, Nov 4, in the Champions League, while Arsenal will play against Slavia Prague in the Czech Republic.
In Premier League Gameweek 10, Arsenal will host Hull City on Saturday, Nov 7, while Liverpool will visit Crystal Palace on Sunday, Nov 8.
There’s also news that, according to the long-term injury outlook, Saliba, Bradley, and Frimpong could return after the November international break (Nov 21–22), Saka might be back by the start of December, and Ekitike is targeting a comeback during the festive period (Dec 26).
