Arsenal vs Liverpool Premier League preview, team news and prediction

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The struggling defending champions face off against the in-form challengers on Thursday evening, as Arsenal host Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in a highly anticipated Premier League showdown. The Reds arrive boasting a longer unbeaten streak than the Gunners, but a win for Mikel Arteta’s side would see them surge 17 points clear of the title holders with just 17 games left to play.

Arsenal rang in the New Year in the best possible way, capitalizing on their rivals’ slip-ups last weekend. Despite a nightmare start against Bournemouth—where Gabriel Magalhaes’s error gifted Evanilson an early goal—the Gunners rallied. Gabriel redeemed himself with a goal, and Declan Rice netted his first-ever Premier League brace after 296 appearances, sealing a vital 3-2 comeback victory. Their win was made sweeter as both Arsenal and Chelsea fans celebrated Enzo Fernandez’s late equalizer against Manchester City.

Consecutive draws for City have left both them and Aston Villa six points behind Arsenal, though that gap could shrink to three depending on Wednesday’s results, with City facing Brighton and Villa taking on Crystal Palace.

Yet, as they have throughout the campaign, Arsenal remain focused on their own performances, stringing together seven straight wins in all competitions—including five consecutive Premier League victories. While only two of those wins have come by more than a single goal, the ability to grind out results even when not at their best is often the hallmark of champions. Still, it may be premature to declare the title Arsenal’s to lose.

Nevertheless, Arteta’s men are clear favorites against Liverpool, especially at the Emirates, where they’ve won 14 of their 15 home matches this season—including the last 12 in a row. Another victory could see Arsenal make history, as they aim to defeat the reigning champions in three consecutive home league games for the first time since the early 1960s.

Liverpool fans may be bracing for a similar outcome to Manchester City’s recent visit, as optimism from a four-match winning streak has faded after back-to-back draws with Leeds United and Fulham. The dramatic encounter with Fulham saw Harrison Reed snatch a late equalizer, moments after Cody Gakpo seemed to have secured all three points for a Liverpool side that has struggled for consistency but remains fourth in the table.

Arne Slot’s team are now just one match away from a 10-game unbeaten run, but the recent draws have left supporters frustrated, feeling that the previous streak merely masked underlying issues. Liverpool did edge Arsenal 1-0 at Anfield in August thanks to a stunning Dominik Szoboszlai free kick, but they have failed to win any of their last three visits to the Emirates. Their already slim title hopes could be extinguished entirely on Thursday—if they haven’t been already.

With a nearly full squad at his disposal, Arteta once again faces the enviable dilemma of selection headaches ahead of Liverpool’s visit. Only three players are expected to be unavailable: Max Dowman and Cristhian Mosquera, both sidelined with ankle injuries, while Riccardo Calafiori remains a doubt due to a mysterious, unspecified issue.

Kai Havertz was left out of the squad against Bournemouth as a precaution to manage his workload, and given Arsenal’s impressive attacking depth, it wouldn’t be surprising if the recently recovered German is rested again. After Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke started on the wings at the Vitality Stadium, Leandro Trossard and the record-chasing Bukayo Saka are poised to return. Saka, notably, is aiming to become the first Arsenal player to score in four consecutive home league games against Liverpool.

Liverpool, by contrast, are facing significant challenges in attack. Mohamed Salah (AFCON) and Alexander Isak (leg injury) are both ruled out, while supporters anxiously await updates on Hugo Ekitike, who missed the Fulham match with a muscular problem described as “a little more” than simple delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Florian Wirtz, who opened the scoring for Liverpool against Fulham, is also nursing a hamstring issue, but there’s no indication the £116m signing will miss the showdown with Arsenal.

Elsewhere, Giovanni Leoni (ACL) and Wataru Endo (ankle) are confirmed absentees. As a result, Arne Slot may opt to stick with the same starting XI from the Craven Cottage draw, though Jeremie Frimpong offers an alternative on the right flank, either at full-back or further forward.

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