Photo credit: Getty Images/ Ryan Pierce

By Paul Stevens

Both teams come into this match in good form. Arsenal bring seven wins and a single loss into the fixture, while Liverpool have only lost a single match in all competitions at Anfield.

Arsenal’s hosts have been strong at home but have collected a mixed set of results in the Premier League so far this season. Liverpool have recorded four wins, three costly draws and have suffered just one loss in this year’s campaign.

It is fair to say that while Liverpool have lost the mercurial talent that was Mohamed Salah, the reds have spent big on attacking talent in recent windows.

The eye watering sum of £116m paid for Florian Wirtz and £125m paid for Alexander Isak was further boosted with the £120m summer arrival of Bradley Barcola from French Champions PSG.

While the club has an embarrassment of riches in attack, their squad is poorly balanced in my view. They have problems in the defensive line, particularly in both full back positions in addition to their midfield struggling to control games as they used to under Jurgen Klopp.

It has just begun to click in attack for the expensively assembled Liverpool forward line in recent games and Arsenal will need to be incredibly vigilant of the danger especially in transitional moments throughout the match.

I feel this game will be won or lost by the side who takes their chances in the match. It’s a classic football cliché to say the game will be won or lost in either box but in this case, the cliché rings true.

The game at Anfield last season was a closely fought affair and both sides missed big chances at various stages. Ultimately, that match was decided by a moment of pure brilliance from Liverpool midfield Dominik Szoboszlai, who curled a spectacular free kick past David Raya in the final seven minutes of the match.

Treatment Table

Arsenal will continue to be without William Saliba. The Frenchman has stepped up his individual training program but is not expected back until after the international break in November.

Christos Tzolis is reportedly getting closer to a return from his hamstring injury, but I feel the Liverpool fixture will come too soon for the Greek international.

Bukayo Saka will certainly miss the match and has reportedly been given a 6–8-week time frame to recover from his thigh injury sustained in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich.

The final trio of players that Arsenal fans will be keeping a close eye on are Declan Rice, who was seen holding his hamstring moments before being substituted vs Everton. Gabriel Magalhaes, who suffered his own injury scare after falling heavily onto his knee and Riccardo Calafiori who left the pitch with some discomfort around his hip area.

For all of Arsenal’s injury issues Liverpool have huge problems of their own.

Star forward Hugo Ekitike will miss the game with a long-term Achilles injury.

Man of the match in last season’s game Dominik Szoboszlai will be out until after the November international break with a hamstring issue.

New winger Victor Munoz is likely to miss the match with a knee injury.

Full backs Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong will both be out. Frimpong is out with a muscular issue that will keep him sidelined until the international break in November. Bradley will not return until after Christmas, following a serious knee injury.

Player Focus

This week’s player focus could have concentrated on the strikers, either of Arsenal’s wide men or any of the midfield players who will need to win duels in order to control the match. However, I intend to centre my attention on Riccardo Calafiori.

Arsenal’s attack minded left back will certainly play. The Italian defender’s ability to invert into the midfield and occupy advanced attacking positions is so key to this Arsenal side. His unpredictable movement and work rate has been such an effective tool for the Gunner’s attack.

It will be Calafiori’s battle not only with Liverpool’s left-sided midfielder – which will likely be Ryan Gravenberch – but also Bradley Barcola that could decide the outcome of this fixture.

When Arsenal attack, Calafiori’s role will be to pin Liverpool’s dangerous winger back into a defensive role, but Liverpool are incredibly dangerous in transition and this is where Calafiori must be at his very best in order to prevent his opposite number from creating dangerous moments inside the Arsenal half.

Mikel Arteta will want his side to dominate possession and control large parts of this match and I think, even though Liverpool are the home side, that the Reds will be happy for Arsenal to have much of the ball.

I think Liverpool’s game plan will be to choose when to press with intensity, with the hope to steal the ball in advanced areas of the field, but to also hit Arsenal with lightening fast counter attacks. Barcola will be a vital tool with which the home team will hope to create goalscoring opportunities.

My main concern for Calafiori is getting caught in an advanced position and leaving the space behind in which Barcola could use his electric pace down Arsenal’s left flank.

Predicted Line-Up

My predicted line up would be as strong as it is possible to start.

David Raya in goal.

Jurien Timber at right back.

Ezri Konsa at right centre back.

Gabriel Magalhaes at left centre back.

Riccardo Calafiori at left back.

A midfield trio of Declan Rice at six, Martin Odegaard at right eight, Bruno Guimaraes at left eight.

Then a front three of Noni Madueke at right wing, Kai Havertz at centre forward and Eberechi Eze as left wing.