Prediction: Liverpool vs Arsenal

Verdict: Total goals over 2.5

Best odds: 8/13

Bookmaker: 888sport

Liverpool were an unsolvable problem for Arsenal throughout several previous seasons. The Gunners would occasionally win a game against them, but more often than not, they were victims of a well-drilled machine that Jurgen Klopp had created, whether it was Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery or Mikel Arteta in the dugout.

This season however, it’s a completely different story. Arsenal are running towards their first Premier League title in almost two decades, while Liverpool are an unsolvable problem only for themselves.

On Sunday, the two teams will meet at Anfield in their second clash this season. The first, a highly controversial one played back in early October last year at the Emirates, the Gunners won by 3-2, courtesy of an early opener by Gabriel Martinelli and a brace by Bukayo Saka. Twice Liverpool fought back from a goal down, first through Darwin Nunez and then Roberto Firmino, but they couldn’t do it a third time.

Liverpool

From that day on, things have been going rather badly for the Merseysiders. Winger Luis Diaz was badly injured that day, the work of Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey, and he hasn’t played since. Injuries elsewhere through the squad started mounting, in all departments, and good results vanished, taking the team’s confidence and desire to fight with it.

It feels almost needless to point out that Liverpool are having the worst season since Klopp arrived at the helm in 2015. There have been occasional glimpses that gave a scent that the Reds might just be on their way back to their good football, but the hope would always disappear more quickly than it came.

At the moment, Liverpool are nowhere near where they want to be in the Premier League, that being the only competition remaining for them for the rest of the season. They’re eighth in the table with 43 points, 10 less than arch-rivals Manchester United in fourth, and Champions League qualification is drifting further away with each passing week. At this point, they would probably be lucky to secure any kind of European football next season, with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur (50 points), Brighton and Hove Albion (46 and a game in hand), and Aston Villa (44), all ahead in that race. Even Brentford (also 43) are close by.

The first two matches of Liverpool’s last-six run in all competitions provided that glimpse of hope, as they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 and destroyed Manchester United 7-0, both at home. But then their sickness returned as they went to the Vitality Stadium and lost 1-0 to relegation-threatened Bournemouth, before their elimination from the Champions League was confirmed with a 1-0 defeat to Real in Madrid. They went toe-to-toe with defending Premier League champions Manchester City at the Etihad for the first 45 minutes, only to suffer a complete meltdown in the second half and lose 4-1, and eventually won a point against Chelsea with a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge in which they certainly weren’t the better team.

With the ruthlessness of the league having the heads of 12 managers this season already, Klopp’s fate has been recently questioned heavily, and the German himself admitted it was only his past successes at the club – triumphs in the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup, the Premier League, the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup – keeping him still in his job.

Team News

Diaz is back in team training and close to returning to action, but Klopp says he won’t be able to get his revenge on Arsenal for the injury just yet. On the other hand, midfielder Thiago Alcantara, who has been absent for a long time as well, should be in contention on Sunday, as should defender Virgil van Dijk who missed the Chelsea trip through illness.

Midfielder Stefan Bajcetic (groin) and defender Calvin Ramsay (knee) are out for the rest of the season.

It remains to be seen whether Naby Keita will wear the Liverpool shirt ever again. The Guinean midfielder picked up a muscle injury on international duty and with the season entering its final stretch now, Klopp isn’t sure he’ll have him in his ranks before the end. The end of the season also spells the end of Keita’s contract, and by all accounts, there won’t be a new one and he will leave as a free agent, along with Firmino and former Arsenal player Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Alisson Becker will be in goal. Van Dijk is set to pair up with Ibrahima Konate in the heart of defence, with Trent Alexander-Arnold on the right and Andy Robertson on the left. Alternatively, Klopp could opt to give Joe Gomez another start on the right and/or Kostas Tsimikas on the left, as he did against Chelsea. Thiago probably isn’t ready to play 90 minutes just yet and he should therefore come on from the bench at some point in the second half, leaving Fabinho and Jordan Henderson to start alongside Harvey Elliott, pushing Curtis Jones back to the bench. Even without Diaz, Klopp has options upfront, but it’s probably safe to say Mohamed Salah will return to the starting XI after making a substitute appearance at Stamford Bridge. As for the other two spots, they’re likely to belong to Diogo Jota and Nunez, though Firmino and January signing Cody Gakpo will have hopes on that front.

Arsenal

Things could not have gone better for Arsenal, in contrast to what’s been going on with Liverpool. Arteta has obviously found all the right combinations and his squad is bristling not only with quality of the highest level, but also with confidence and desire to win, all fueled by the ever-increasing prospect of lifting the Premier League trophy at the end of the season.

The key to their success is obviously consistency. The Gunners have been keeping the pace up throughout the season and the result of their work is clear to see with one look at the Premier League table, which they top with an eight-point advantage over Manchester City, Arteta’s former employers from the days when he worked as Pep Guardiola’s assistant. Even when Gabriel Jesus, who joined Arsenal from City last summer, picked up an injury that kept him out for three months and a large number of the football public expected the results on the pitch to suffer, Eddie Nketiah stepped in and did the job admirably, helping his team stay where they were. And they’re there still.

Arsenal’s adventure in Europe, however, wasn’t much better than that of Liverpool. They’ve been eliminated from the Europa League in the round of 16, having drawn twice and lost the penalty shootout to Sporting Lisbon. It will, on the other hand, help them stay focused on winning the league.

Apart from the Sporting clashes, the Gunners have been pretty much ruthless since mid-February, when they lost 1-3 at home to City. They won every Premier League game they’ve played since, and their last-six run in all competitions includes a surprisingly narrow 3-2 home victory over Bournemouth, a 2-2 draw against Sporting in Lisbon, a 0-3 thrashing of Fulham at Craven Cottage, a 1-1 draw at home against Sporting, a 4-1 home win over Crystal Palace, and a win by the same result at home against Leeds United.

Team News

Defender Tahekiro Tomiyasu and midfielder Mohamed Elneny are long-term absentees. Both have had surgery to rectify knee problems, and while the Japan international has been officially ruled out for the season, Elneny’s situation remains unclear in that respect; though it’s not looking good. Nketiah is also out and isn’t expected back for two more weeks – the striker is suffering from an ankle problem.

Defender William Saliba, who has been brilliant since returning from loan ahead of the season, has picked up a minor back problem and he could be back in contention, but facing a late fitness test, he’s currently classed as a doubt.

Much like Alisson at Liverpool, Aaron Ramsdale is the undisputed No.1 between the posts. With Saliba not at 100% and Tomiyasu out, Rob Holding is likely to step into the breach, with Ben White remaining on the right and Oleksandr Zinchenko on the left. Thomas and Granit Xhaka have been excellent in the middle of the park and they’re set to keep their spots, with Martin Odegaard more advanced in the No.10 role. Upfront, Jesus will be flanked by Martinelli and Saka.

Former Brighton winger Leandro Trossard will be waiting for his chance on the bench, as will former Chelsea midfielder Jorginho and young forward Reiss Nelson.

Conclusion

Given everything we’ve seen this season from these teams, it would be easy to name Arsenal as the absolute favourites to win this match. Most bookies have done so. However, this is Liverpool at Anfield we’re talking about, and that’s never quite so straightforward. Brilliant as their season has been, it remains to be seen if the Gunners have that grit and mentality power which fed Real Madrid’s comprehensive victory at Anfield.

And yet, Liverpool have been known to be their own worst enemy at times this season, and their mistakes could in fact present Arsenal with the three points; it wouldn’t be unheard of, even at Anfield.

So at the moment, with Liverpool’s defence looking shaky and Arsenal’s troubled by the absence of Tomiyasu and probably Saliba, and with the fact in mind that these teams almost always deliver high-scoring outcomes in the Premier League, perhaps placing a bet on the number of goals might be the way to go.

Verdict: Total goals over 2.5

Best odds: 8/13

Bookmaker: 888sport