Arsenal vs Liverpool

Emirates Stadium forms the backdrop for a mouth-watering Premier League encounter between Arsenal and Liverpool.

Arsenal stunned Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 last weekend to ensure a top place in the Premier League table ahead of this round, making it seven wins from the opening eight matchdays (L1). Mikel Arteta’s side will take the field in high spirits after following the North London derby triumph with a 3-0 humbling of Bodo/Glimt in midweek Europa League action. Seeking their first Premier League top-four finish since 2015/16, the ‘Gunners’ have racked up an eye-catching seven-match winning top-flight streak at home, their longest span of successive wins at the Emirates since a run of ten in 2018/19. Worryingly, though, Arsenal’s defensive leaks have seen them go nine consecutive home league outings without a clean sheet, which could prove costly against a Liverpool side that put six unanswered goals past them in the two last season’s Premier League H2Hs (L2).

On the other hand, Liverpool eased past Rangers 2-0 in midweek Champions League action to reinforce their bid to reach the knockouts, bouncing back from an enthralling 3-3 home draw with Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend. Liverpool’s faltering Premier League start (W2, D4, L1) sees them stuck in mid-table lethargy ahead of the kick-off, a whopping 11 points adrift of Arsenal, albeit with a game in hand. Speaking of the visitors’ sub-par league start, they head into proceedings in search of their first Premier League win on the road this term (D2, L1). Unless they extend a two-game winning top-flight streak at the Emirates, the ‘Reds’ could face a four-match winless away start to a new league season for the first time since 2010/11. Sloppy entries that have seen them concede first in nine of their last 11 Premier League outings won’t aid their cause.