Who: Arsenal vs Liverpool
Content: English Premier League
Location: Emirates Stadium, London, England
Date and time: Thursday, January 8th, 8pm (20:00 GMT).
How to follow: All content will be broadcast on Al Jazeera Sports from 17:00 GMT, ahead of the text commentary stream.
Leaders Arsenal entertained defending champions Liverpool in a delicious game in the English Premier League on Thursday, with glory going to the former but much of the pride resting on the latter.
The Gunners are aiming for their first league title since 2003, while the Reds are licking the wounds of a season that almost inexplicably collapsed after last season’s overwhelming success.
Al Jazeera Sport dissects the match, which is fully expected to be a home win, but nothing ever happens for granted in the Premier League.
How have Arsenal fared in the Premier League this season?
The Gunners have moved into the top spot as manager Mikel Arteta looks to improve on his third successive second-place finish in England’s top flight.
Arsenal have suffered just one defeat (against Liverpool) in their first 21 games of the season, and are at a standstill in every aspect of the team. Arteta appears to have finally cracked the code after scoring a free in front of goal and playing a miserable game at the back of the field.
What’s going on in the Premier League title race?
Pep Guardiola’s side are six points behind second-placed Manchester City and host Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.
Aston Villa are level on points with City and travel to Crystal Palace on Wednesday, but a 4-1 loss to Arsenal on December 30 was seen as a severe blow to their title ambitions.
What went wrong for Liverpool in the Premier League this season?
The Reds had a great start to the new season, but that made the team’s end to the season all the more alarming. Slott’s side have won their opening five league games on a seven-game winning streak in all competitions.
Liverpool manager Arne Slott insists the reigning champions can still do “something special” this season.
“We’re unbeaten in nine games, but two draws is obviously too many,” Slott said at Wednesday’s pre-match press conference.
After a strong start, much of the focus of the Reds’ slump has centered on their relationship with iconic forward Mohamed Salah, who lost their next four Premier League games.
Slott insists the club has made progress since Salah departed for his stint with Egypt at the 2025 African Cup of Nations, but doubts remain across the park.
“We’re not consistent, but we’ve already beaten some very good teams, so you can see that the talent is definitely there but we lack consistency,” he said.
Liverpool only conceded 41 goals last season, but this season they have already conceded 28 goals in 20 games.
The summer’s huge spending, which included the signings of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, appears to have destabilized the balance of the team that won last season’s title.
The talent of both of them, and the rest of the players they brought in, is clear, but it remains to be seen if Slott can solidify them into a team that can save them beyond this season.
The coach believes his team is still being evaluated within the league.
“This game is very important because we still have a lot to play for in the Premier League,” Slott said.
What happened the last time Arsenal played Liverpool?
Liverpool won 1-0 in their opening game against Arsenal in the Premier League on August 31st at Anfield.
In the 83rd minute of a close match, Dominik Szoboszlai scored the only goal of the match with an explosive free kick.
What happened in the corresponding match between Arsenal and Liverpool last season?
Last season’s Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium failed to separate the teams, but Liverpool forced two comebacks, including Mohamed Salah’s late equalizer, to force a 2-2 draw.
Bukayo Saka and Mikel Merino gave the Gunners the lead twice in the first half with goals from Virgil van Dijk.
However, the Reds had to wait nervously until the 81st minute for Salah to score the winning point.
When was the last time Arsenal beat Liverpool?
Arsenal last won against Liverpool three seasons ago when they won 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium in February 2024.
The intense game saw nine yellow cards and Reds defender Ibrahima Konate was sent off in the 88th minute when the team were still looking for an equalizer.
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli scored in either half, with the Gunners taking the lead twice through Gabriel Magalhães’ own goals.
Leandro Trossard added another goal in the 90th minute.
Statistics Attack – Arsenal
The Gunners have won seven games in a row, scoring 13 goals and conceding just six, with two of those goals coming in their last game against Brighton.
The North Londoners are currently the only team with an unbeaten home record in the Premier League, having won nine of their 10 games at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have scored 26 goals in front of fans in the league this season, conceding just five.
Bukayo Saka, who has been a huge part of the Gunners’ run of form in recent seasons, is aiming to become the first Arsenal player to score in four consecutive league home games against Liverpool.
Statistics Attack – Liverpool
Liverpool are unbeaten in nine games and have won five, but their last two games have been draws, both in the league.
The Reds have kept only one clean sheet in their last seven league games, a 2-0 home win against Brighton and a 0-0 draw with Leeds two games ago.
During this period, eight goals were scored, of which 12 were scored.
Four of their six losses this season have come on the road, with four wins and two ties on the road, conceding 18 goals and scoring just 17 points on the road.
Even bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers don’t score that many away goals.
Arsenal vs Liverpool – Stats Attack
Liverpool are unbeaten in three games against Arsenal, winning the last game and drawing two.
However, the Reds’ victory ended a six-game winless streak in the league, during which the Gunners won two games.
The Reds’ last win before that period was the last time the Merseysiders won at the Emirates Stadium in March 2022 with goals from Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota.
Since then, the Gunners have won two of the three league matches played in London.
direct confrontation
This is the 246th time the two teams have faced each other, with Liverpool winning 95 games and Arsenal winning 81.
arsenal team news
Max Daumann and Cristian Mosquera are out after suffering ankle problems, while Riccardo Calafioli is doubtful to play due to an unspecified injury.
Kai Havertz was rested from the squad selected for the win over Bournemouth and may at best be able to make do with a spot on the bench as he recovers from a previous injury.
Arsenal’s expected starting lineup
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie. Odegaard, Zvimendi, Reis. Saka, Gokeres, Trossard
liverpool team news
Salah will remain with Egypt in AFCON, while Isak has been sidelined for an extended period due to a foot injury.
Fellow forward Hugo Ekitike missed the draw against Fulham with a muscle problem but remains a doubt.
Florian Wirtz has a hamstring problem, but is expected to continue playing through the problem.
Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo remain absent for long periods of time.
Liverpool’s expected starting lineup
Alison. Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkes. Mac Allister, Gravenbirch. Szoboszlei, Wirtz, Jones. Gakpo
Arsenal and Liverpool form guide
Arsenal: WWWWW Liverpool: WWWDD
