THE DETAILS
Venue – Anfield, Liverpool
Referee – Craig Pawson
Date & Time – Monday, September 28th @ 20:00
Current Odds – Liverpool 9/20, Draw 15/4, Arsenal 11/2
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Two consecutive home games against The Gunners. Another great week that would have been for fans at Anfield. It’s just not to be…
All we can do is enjoy the feast of football on our TVs. Make the most of it in the safest environment possible for each of us. And yes, we really should be in for a feast. Great goals, proper football, and two teams that aren’t afraid to go balls out on the table.
FORM
Liverpool Form
Liverpool have won both their early league games – 4-3 against Leeds, 2-0 away to Chelsea – and join Arsenal in the top four at the moment.
On Thursday night, Jürgen Klopp’s side won 7-2 at Lincoln City to progress in the Carabao Cup – setting up a fourth-round clash at home to Arsenal next week.
Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and co will be chomping at the bit to face The Gunners after seeing their understudies turn on the style in that EFL Cup game.
Arsenal Form
Arsenal started their 2020/21 season with a 3-0 win at Fulham, followed by a 2-1 home victory against West Ham United. Then, on Wednesday night, The Gunners won 2-0 at Leicester to progress in the Carabao Cup.
The visitors were the last side to beat Liverpool – 2-1 back in July – but they also drew 1-1 with The Reds in the Community Shield before taking the trophy after success in the penalty shootout.
Has Mikel Arteta figured out a way to nullify Liverpool? Monday night’s game will be very, very interesting indeed.
TEAM NEWS
Liverpool Team News
Joël Matip, Jordan Henderson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are still out for another few weeks at least. Matip’s return date is expected to be around the next international break (early/mid-October). Henderson should be back sooner but Oxlade-Chamberlain’s position remains a little more unclear as of now.
Joe Gomez had to sit out the Chelsea game. It’s hoped he will be fit and available for Arsenal on Monday.
Klopp is likely to opt for Thiago in place of the injured Henderson. The club’s new number six played brilliantly in the 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge after he replaced Henderson for the second half.
On Thursday night against Lincoln City, Kostas Tsimikas started at left-back to make his competitive debut for the club. Diogo Jota came on as a late sub for his first appearance for the club as well.
Curtis Jones and Takumi Minamino were both hugely impressive in the 7-2 Carabao Cup win and will be itching to get the chance off the bench against The Gunners.
Arsenal Team News
Arteta is currently missing Gabriel Martinelli, Calum Chambers, Emile Smith-Rowe and Shkodran Mustafi.
Arsenal will also have to give late fitness tests to Kieran Tierney, Pablo Mari and Sokratis ahead of their trip to Anfield.
It’s likely Arteta will stick with the 3-4-3 shape he has been using with The Gunners. It served them well in the Community Shield against Klopp’s men and also in the 2-1 league victory over Liverpool back in July.
Héctor Bellerín and Ainsley Maitland-Niles are likely to be the starting wing-backs for Arsenal with Mohamed Elneny and Granit Xhaka in central midfield.
New signing, Gabrial Magalhães could be at the heart of the back three for the visitors.
Arteta is likely to go with a forward line consisting of Willian, Alexandre Lacazette and the red-hot Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
Liverpool XI (4-3-3) – Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Thiago, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mané
Arsenal XI (3-4-3) – Leno; Holding, Gabriel Magalhães, Tierney; Bellerín, Elneny, Xhaka, Maitland-Niles; Willian, Lacazette, Aubameyang
WHEN THEY LAST MET
Arsenal won 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium back in July. Liverpool had already secured the club’s 19th league title success before that clash. Sadio Mané gave The Reds an early lead but goals from Lacazette and Reiss Nelson turned the game back in the hosts’ favour before half-time. That was how it finished.
Last season, Liverpool played Arsenal twice at Anfield, just like they will in the coming week. Once in the Premier League and once in the Carabao Cup, just like in the coming week.
Liverpool won the league game 3-1 thanks to goals from Matip and Mohamed Salah (x2). Lucas Torreira scored a late consolation for The Gunners.
The Carabao Cup clash was a crazy, crazy night on Merseyside. The game finished 5-5 after 90 minutes before going straight to a penalty shootout. Liverpool won 5-4 on penalties.
PREDICTION
LIVERPOOL 3 – 2 ARSENAL
It’s not too hard to predict plenty of goals in fixtures between Liverpool and Arsenal these days. There have been 54 goals in the last 11 meetings – an average of almost five goals per game. I don’t think either side will be sitting back, trying to sneak a result on Monday night either.
Arsenal will be confident they can get something from this game and rightly so. Arteta’s men, like Liverpool, have won their opening two league games as well as bagging an impressive away win against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup third round.
I think Liverpool will shade it in a cracker of a match where both teams will have plenty of chances in front of goal.
