Arsenal vs. Liverpool: Premier League Preview & Predictions
Arsenal hosts Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in a significant confrontation in the Premier League title chase.
The game arrives at an inopportune moment for the Gunners, who are missing sidelined captain Martin Odegaard. They now face the suspension of William Saliba and will likely have to cope without the injured quartet of Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, and Riccard Calafiori.
Following a prior loss to Bournemouth in the league, a defeat to Liverpool would position Arsenal seven points adrift of their title competitors.
The Reds are thriving under new manager Arne Slot. They have won 11 matches, including a 1-0 triumph over RB Leipzig on Wednesday night, and will be keen to take advantage of a wounded Gunners unit.
Arsenal vs. Liverpool: Form Guide
Arsenal enters the meeting against the Reds in a compromised state, both literally and figuratively speaking. In their most recent domestic encounter, Arteta and Co. suffered a 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth, marking their inaugural season loss. The pivotal moment which led to this defeat happened in the 30th minute when William Saliba received a red card following a VAR review that concluded he fouled Evanilson, thus denying him a clean goal-scoring opportunity. With one player absent, Arsenal’s offence became ineffective. They achieved a mere six total shots throughout the match, with only one on target.
Arsenal coincidentally has the highest number of red cards in the EPL this season, totalling three. Since Mikel Arteta assumed control in 2019, the Gunners have received 18 red cards, the most among all Premiership clubs during that period. Yes, we want to see the red side of London flying high, but not the kind made out of cards!
It is inaccurate to assert that the injury bug has afflicted Arsenal. It would be more precise to state that the bug summoned its companions and overwhelmed the Gunners’ camp. Captain Martin Odegaard sustained a severe ankle injury in September. Wingman Bukayo Saka (hamstring) has been out since sustaining an injury while representing England against Greece two weeks prior. Fullback Riccardo Calafiori exited the pitch during Tuesday night’s Champions League match due to an apparent knee injury, and centreback Jurrien Timber has not participated in a fixture since October 1, when he was compelled to exit due to a muscular injury.
This does not bode well for Arteta’s team against a Liverpool side performing at peak capacity and arguably the most in-form team in England right now.
Arsenal: Previous 6 Matches
| 22.10.2024 | Arsenal | 1-0 | Shakhtar D | UCL |
| 19.10.2024 | Bournemouth | 2-0 | Arsenal | EPL |
| 05.10.2024 | Arsenal | 3-1 | Southampton | EPL |
| 01.10.2024 | Arsenal | 2-0 | PSG | UCL |
| 28.09.2024 | Arsenal | 4-2 | Leicester City | EPL |
| 25.09.2024 | Arsenal | 5-1 | Bolton | EFL Cup |
Can league leaders Liverpool, under new manager Arne Slot and leading frontman Mo Salah, maintain their impressive form and establish themselves as genuine title contenders with another victory against a Big Six rival?
The Reds, currently four points ahead of Arsenal in the standings, have suffered only one loss since April 24, 2024, an unexpected 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest at Anfield in September. Since then, they have secured six consecutive victories under Slot. In fact, the Dutchman has achieved 10 EPL wins quicker than any other manager in the EPL era, except for Pep Guardiola.
A significant portion of that triumph can be attributed to Salah’s exceptional performances. The 32-year-old has found the fountain of youth on Merseyside, recording five goals and five assists in eight domestic outings. Defender Virgil van Dijk has clearly accompanied the Pharaoh on his excursions to the fountain: At 33 years old, van Dijk is performing at the pinnacle of his abilities. Is it surprising that he is negotiating a deal to prolong his tenure in Liverpool?
Liverpool: Previous 6 Matches
| 23.10.2024 | RB Leipzig | 0-1 | Liverpool | UCL |
| 20.10.2024 | Liverpool | 2-1 | Chelsea | EPL |
| 05.10.2024 | Crystal Palace | 0-1 | Liverpool | EPL |
| 02.10.2024 | Liverpool | 2-0 | Bologna | UCL |
| 28.09.2024 | Wolves | 1-2 | Liverpool | EPL |
| 25.09.2024 | Liverpool | 1-1 | West Ham | EFL Cup |
Arsenal and Liverpool: Team Updates
- Kieran Tierney, Martin Ødegaard, and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all out due to injury.
- William Saliba will be absent due to his red card being received from the match against Bournemouth last Saturday
- Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, and Riccardo Calafiori are all uncertain, although Saka is anticipated to make a return.
- Conor Bradley, Alisson, Harvey Elliott, and Federico Chiesa are all unavailable for Liverpool.
- Diogo Jota is still uncertain and was absent from the midweek journey to Leipzig.
Arsenal vs. Liverpool: Head-to-Head
| 04.02.2024 | Arsenal | 3-1 | Liverpool | EFL |
| 07.01.2024 | Arsenal | 0-2 | Liverpool | FA Cup |
| 23.12.2023 | Liverpool | 1-1 | Arsenal | EPL |
| 09.04.2023 | Liverpool | 2-2 | Arsenal | EPL |
| 09.10.2022 | Arsenal | 3-2 | Liverpool | EPL |
| 16.03.2022 | Arsenal | 0-2 | Liverpool | EPL |
Arsenal vs. Liverpool: The Betting Odds
Arsenal 6/4
Liverpool 2/1
Draw 5/2
Unsurprisingly, the most trusted online bookmakers are torn in their odds-making, and although the Gunners are the favourable side, both teams can be found at plus-money value. With a price of 6/5 and the potential of a goalless 90 minutes, perhaps the draw is a sneaky wager to consider.
Arsenal vs. Liverpool: Prediction
Arsenal would have preferred to confront any other side this weekend due to their suspension and injury concerns. With ten players against Bournemouth, they appeared bereft of strategies, and their victory over Shakhtar Donetsk earlier in the week was lacklustre, prompting concerns prior to Liverpool’s visit.
The Reds, despite missing important players of their own, appear capable of defeating any opponent in the league right now. Mohamed Salah is poised for a significant performance against whomever is available on Arsenal’s left flank. If Salah performs like he has throughout the season, this could be the Reds’ game to lose.
However, despite their recent success, Liverpool hasn’t faced a squad like Arsenal on the road. They barely got past Crystal Palace on their last trip to London, and we have to believe the home side would settle for a defensive mindset and walk away with a draw. In addition, with Saka as a maybe, he could be the difference maker in forcing Liverpool to reinforce their half, and by the game’s end, it wouldn’t be surprising to see these two sides share the spoils.
Arsenal vs. Liverpool Best Bet: Under 2.5 Goals @ 1/1
Arsenal vs. Liverpool Best Betting Value: Draw @ 5/2
Arsenal vs. Liverpool Score Prediction: 0-0
