Liverpool will host Premier League leaders Arsenal at Anfield in a highly-anticipated fixture that is crucial to both teams in different aspects.
A win for Arsenal would greatly improve their chances of winning this season’s Premier League while a win for Liverpool will improve their chances of qualifying for European football next season.
Liverpool have been plagued by injuries and poor form this season, and have failed to win any of their last three league games. They are currently eighth in the standings, 10 points behind fourth-placed Manchester United.
They will hope to bounce back from their midweek draw with Chelsea but it will take a little bit more effort to break down an Arsenal side that has been growing stronger every matchday.
The Gunners are flying high on top of the table and are on a winning streak of seven consecutive matches that has put a comfortable eight-point gap between them and second-placed Manchester City.
Arsenal were 3-1 victors when the two sides met in the first leg at the Emirates last year but go to a hostile Anfield atmosphere knowing well they have not won there since 2012 and will rely heavily on their forwards and strong defence to try and get maximum points from this fixture.
When asked why it’s difficult to play at Anfield, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta told reporters in a pre-match press conference yesterday that: “They [Liverpool] are a great team, managed by a top manager and they create an incredible atmosphere that makes it really difficult for us, for any opponent, as it is when to come to the Emirates.
“You know, it’s very, very difficult, so we know that, and the opportunity is ahead of us there on Sunday to do something that we have done in the last two or three years, to win in places that the team didn’t do for many, many years.”
When asked if winning at Anfield will prove Arsenal have improved, Arteta said, “Yes, and that’s what we have to prove on Sunday – to be able to go there and perform emotionally, be [tactically] sound and do the right thing that we have to do in each moment to get away with the result that we want.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has never lost a home game against Arsenal in the Premier League and has been at the centre of some big Liverpool wins against Arsenal. However, during his press conference yesterday, Klopp admitted that this is a different Arsenal.
“It’s obvious it’s a different team, clear. Mikel is building this team for a few years now and obviously, the outcome is pretty impressive. The way they play is fun to watch, to be honest, it’s super-lively, really good football, top players on the pitch, and good match plans. Good. It’s not exactly what you can say about us at the moment, so that shows you what the situation is,” Klopp remarked.
Team news
Virgil van Dijk is back and available after missing the draw with Chelsea in midweek. Thiago Alcantara is also back in training and will be involved but Klopp said that Luis Diaz, another returnee from a long-term injury will sit this one out.
“The plan with Luis is that he will be available 100 per cent for Leeds. Again, it looks good, everything is fine, but it was a long, long injury and so we have to be careful. We will probably not involve him for Sunday,” Klopp said in the press conference.
For Arsenal, Bukayo Saka recovered from an illness, and Arteta said nothing has changed with the other injured players (Eddie Nketiah, William Saliba and Mohammed Elneny). However, he added that one of them, unnamed, could make the squad that will face Liverpool.
