Liverpool will host Arsenal on Sunday in a Premier League game between two sides looking like title contenders once again in 2025/26.
Both teams have six points from their opening two games, and despite some mixed moments, they remain among the favourites for the title this season.
Liverpool vs Arsenal – Preview
Liverpool are coming off a dramatic 3-2 win at Newcastle United, where youngster Rio Ngumoha scored a last-minute winner after the Reds had thrown away a 2-0 lead. While their attacking firepower is impressive, Arne Slot’s side still have defensive frailties that have seen them trail Arsenal and Tottenham in the early-season standings.
At Anfield, Liverpool will look to continue their perfect start and maintain their goal-scoring streak, having found the net in 39 of 40 Premier League games under Slot.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have started the season strongly with wins over Manchester United and Leeds United. Mikel Arteta’s side are unbeaten in their last six Premier League matches against Liverpool, but have not won at Anfield since 2012, meaning they face both a historical challenge and a tough away test.
Sunday’s clash promises to be a high-stakes battle between Liverpool’s attacking dynamism and Arsenal’s defensive organisation. Both sides will be chasing a third successive win to maintain momentum at the top of the Premier League table.
Liverpool vs Arsenal – Team News
Liverpool go into the clash with Arsenal close to full strength. Alexis Mac Allister is back in training after missing the Newcastle game and is expected to partner Ryan Gravenberch in midfield for the first time this season.
The Reds’ only confirmed absentee is new signing Jeremie Frimpong, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury. Dominik Szoboszlai filled in as a makeshift right-back at Newcastle, but Conor Bradley is another option for Slot this weekend.
Meanwhile, Arsenal face a few injury setbacks ahead of their trip to Anfield. Bukayo Saka (hamstring) and Kai Havertz (knee) are both out for several weeks, while captain Martin Odegaard has yet to train following a shoulder problem.
Leandro Trossard, Ben White, and Christian Norgaard are all touch-and-go, and Gabriel Jesus is still months away from a return after an ACL injury. Eberechi Eze and Ethan Nwaneri could step in for Odegaard in midfield, while Noni Madueke is likely to take over Saka’s role on the right-hand side. Despite the absences, Arsenal have the depth to cope with this early-season mini-crisis.
Head-to-Head & Previous Meetings
Liverpool have struggled to beat Arsenal in recent league encounters, going six Premier League games without a win against the Gunners (D4 L2), their longest winless streak against Arsenal since a run of eight between October 2007 and April 2011.
At Anfield, however, Arsenal have failed to win in their last 12 visits, with the last victory coming in September 2012, when Mikel Arteta featured in midfield. The last four meetings at Anfield across all competitions have ended in draws, including a dramatic game in May where Arsenal came back from 2-0 down following Liverpool’s Premier League title win
Liverpool vs Arsenal: What the managers are saying
Arne Slot, Liverpool
(via Liverpool)
“They can play in multiple ways, you can see how well they are managed by Mikel [Arteta], and they are working for five years together, because they can play almost every style there is in football. That tells you how well managed they are.
One of their strengths is also set-pieces, and that is an area where, if you look at Monday when we faced Newcastle, we conceded two and against Bilbao two, we need to improve. We were, by the way, really good last season, so no panicking at all. We also had to defend [a lot of] set-pieces at Newcastle, so then only conceding two is not even so bad!”
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal
(via Arsenal)
“A very important one, and we want to continue building the momentum that we are in right now. Going to those grounds, those stadiums, against this kind of opposition is what we want and coming away from those big games, winning in a really convincing way. That’s the objective.”
Key Stats
- Liverpool have a good historical record against Arsenal and have won 95 out of the 244 matches played between the two teams, as opposed to Arsenal’s 83 victories.
- Liverpool are winless in their last six matches against Arsenal in the Premier League – their longest such run against the Gunners in the competition since 2011.
- Arsenal are winless in their last 12 matches away from home against Liverpool in the Premier League, with their previous victory at Anfield coming by a 2-0 margin in September 2012.
- Matches between Arsenal and Liverpool in the Premier League have witnessed a total of 198 goals – only games between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have witnessed a higher tally in this regard in the history of the competition.
- Arsenal have won both their matches in the Premier League without conceding a single goal so far this season.
Liverpool will aim to use their attacking firepower and home advantage to maintain a perfect start, while Arsenal will look to overcome injuries and continue their unbeaten run against the Reds. With both sides chasing maximum points, we can expect a thrilling, end-to-end battle at Anfield.
