PREVIEW: Arsenal vs Liverpool

 

Arsenal face title-rivals Liverpool at Emirates Stadium on Sunday and will be looking to reduce the gap at the top of the table to just two points. After their 2-0 defeat in the FA Cup 3rd round, The Gunners will be looking for revenge but know that defeat would leave their title aspirations on the brink of collapse. 

Injury News

Thomas Partey will again miss out of the squad, having had a set-back in his recovery from a muscular injury. Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, Mikel Arteta said: "With Thomas unfortunately we had a little setback a few days ago. He's not going to be available in the squad. We'll see if it's a matter of days or weeks." 

Mohamed Elneny could return to the squad following Egypt's exit from the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this week. Meanwhile, Takehiro Tomiyasu remains at the Asian Cup with Japan.

Darwin Nunez is an injury doubt for Liverpool, having left Anfield on Wednesday night following a 4-1 victory over Chelsea in a protective boot. Alexis MacAllister however has been passed fit despite coming off in the same game. Kostas Tsimikas, Thiago, Stefan Bajcetic and Joel Matip will all miss out, while the match is expected to be too soon for the return of Mohamed Salah, despite him being pictured training on grass during the week. 

Form

Arsenal have won their last two matches following a challenging festive period, with victories over both Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest. 

Liverpool meanwhile have won their last four Premier League games and have lost just once since the beginning of the season. They have scored 15 goals in their last five games.

Recent History

Arsenal and Liverpool have faced each other 241 times across their respective histories, with Liverpool edging things with 95 wins and 82 losses. 

The Gunners were beaten by The Reds at the beginning of January in the FA Cup, despite dominating for large parts of the match. However, Arsenal are unbeaten in their previous three league encounters with Liverpool and are the last team to stop them from winning during their 1-1 draw at Anfield before Christmas. The 2-2 draw last season represented the start of Arsenal's title collapse. 

Arsenal won 3-2 at the Emirates last season, with goals from Gabriel Martinelli and a Bukayo Saka brace being enough to claim all three points. Their last league win before this came in 2020 when Liverpool visited during the pandemic having already clinched the title. Goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Reiss Nelson cancelled our Sadio Mane's opener. 

Played For Both

The most recent player to make the move from Arsenal to Liverpool was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2017. Having played 198 times for Arsenal, he went onto win the Premier League and Champions League with Liverpool. 

Kolo Toure, Jermaine Pennant, Yossi Benayoun and Nicolas Anelka have also represented both clubs, with their respective careers having varied success. 

Historically, Michael Thomas, the man who clinched the title for Arsenal in 1989 in the dying seconds at Anfield, later moved to Liverpool, where he would win the FA Cup and League Cup.  

Prediction

Arsenal simply have to win, or perhaps more aptly, cannot afford to lose. Victory would see the North London side move to within two points of their Merseyside counterparts, while a draw would arguably see Manchester City as the victors of the weekend. 

Arsenal have recovered in recent weeks but face a Liverpool side in a rich vein of form. They will have to be at their best if they are to get the three points. The Gunners will know that a win will really confirm their recent recovery and put them right in the mix for the title. 

Arsenal 3-1 Liverpool.