Arsenal vs Liverpool: Nunez a doubt and Salah out as Premier League leaders face title rivals – kick-off time, team news and how to follow

5 months ago 32

ARTICLE AD

Premier League leaders Liverpool once again travel to the Emirates to take on Arsenal in a blockbuster clash this weekend.

The Reds return to north London for the second time this year having dumped the Gunners out of the FA Cup with a 2-0 victory.

Liverpool secured a statement victory at the Emirates last monthCredit: Getty

The landscape has drastically changed since the two teams played out a 1-1 draw in the reverse Premier League fixture on December 23.

That stalemate ensured Mikel Arteta's side remained top of the table, but a poor festive period has since seen Liverpool leapfrog them.

Jurgen Klopp's men's 4-1 win over Chelsea, which came a day after Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest, kept the club five points clear.

Another Liverpool victory would leave a major gap to Arsenal in the title race, with Manchester City out to take advantage of any slip-up.

Arsenal vs Liverpool: Stick or twist?

Klopp has a major dilemma over what to do at right-back, which is not something he would have anticipated this time last month.

Liverpool's vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold was a shoo-in to instantly return in defence once he recovered from a knee injury.

However, the emergence of Conor Bradley in his absence has made the club's fellow academy graduate almost indispensable.

Alexander-Arnold returned off the bench in Liverpool's win over Norwich last weekend but still failed to start against Chelsea.

Bradley responded with a goal and two assists in a star showing during the 4-1 win over the Blues to give Klopp a headache.

While it seems incredibly harsh to be dropped after such a performance, Alexander-Arnold's record against Arsenal may leave the Reds boss with little choice.

Alexander-Arnold has assisted six goals in his last seven Premier League games against Arsenal.

Overall he’s assisted seven in the competition against the Gunners, his most against any opponent, and the joint-most any player has against Arsenal (Steven Gerrard also 7).

Bradley has stepped up in Alexander-Arnold's absence Across his five appearances at the Emirates Stadium for Liverpool, Diogo Jota has averaged a goal or assist every 41 minutes in all competitions (5 goals, 2 assists in 287 minutes). Indeed, since the start of 2020-21 (his first season with Liverpool), Mohamed Salah (7 at Old Trafford) is the only Premier League player to have scored more goals at an away ground in all competitions than Jota’s five at Arsenal. Gabriel Martinelli has more goal contributions against Liverpool in all competitions than he has against any other opponent for Arsenal (4 goals, 2 assists). The Brazilian netted the opener after just 58 seconds in this exact fixture last season, also assisting Bukayo Saka’s goal to give the Gunners a 2-1 lead heading into half time. Liverpool won 2-0 against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the FA Cup last month. There have been five occasions of a team winning twice away against the Gunners in the same season, with three of those coming across the last three campaigns (Nottingham Forest 1987-88, Aston Villa 1993-94, Manchester City 2020-21, Liverpool 2021-22, Brighton 2022-23).

Arsenal vs Liverpool: Team news

Both teams are without a player on international duty, with Japanese pair Takehiro Tomiyasu and Wataru Endo away at the Asia Cup.

Arsenal also have several injury concerns, with Fabio Vieira and Jurrien Timber still out, but Thomas Partey is due to return.

The visitors are sweating on the fitness of Darwin Nunez after he sustained a foot injury against Chelsea.

Liverpool are already without talisman Mohamed Salah, who headlines a list of other absentees.

Kostas Tsimikas, Stefan Bajcetic, Ben Doak, Joel Matip, and Thiago Alcantara all remain in the treatment room.

Arsenal need to make a statement in the Premier League title raceCredit: Getty Liverpool have won their last four Premier League away games, scoring 10 goals and conceding just one. It’s just one fewer win than they had in their previous 15 on the road in the league (W5 D7 L3). Arsenal have opened the scoring in their last three Premier League games against Liverpool, doing so in the opening 10 minutes of the match each time. They last scored first in four straight league meetings with the Reds between August 1967 and November 1970 (a run of six). Arsenal have taken five points from their last three Premier League games against Liverpool (W1 D2), as many as they had in their previous 12 (W1 D2 L9). They’re looking to remain unbeaten in four league games against the Reds for the first time since between December 2014 and January 2016 (W1 D3).

Arsenal vs Liverpool: What has been said?

Klopp said: "What we learned over the years if you want to be around [Manchester] City, you better win all your games. This is the league, this is the time City are dominating.

"They play incredible stuff and would probably consider themselves to not be playing their best season. We have a really good season and a few points ahead.

"They are having an okay season and are a few points behind, that's really interesting. Arsenal, they beat us, they are definitely there.

"There are so many games to come. We so often judge in the moment. You can lose all these games, you can win them as well. You can lose players in key moments.

"We will try to make it as hard as possible. Let's see if we can do it."

Klopp and Arteta are both hoping to beat Man City to gloryCredit: AFP This will be the 200th league meeting between Arsenal and Liverpool, the fifth fixture to have been played as many times in English football history. Liverpool have won 79 to Arsenal’s 66 so far (D54). Liverpool have scored in each of their last 16 Premier League games against Arsenal since a goalless draw in August 2015. Overall, they’re the only side to score 100+ goals against the Gunners in the competition (108). Arsenal won this exact fixture 3-2 last season, last beating Liverpool at home in consecutive Premier League campaigns in 2013-14/2014-15.