The Gunners will face another test of their potential league title credentials when they take on Liverpool FC this weekend. A victory over Jurgen Klopp’s side will take Mikel Arteta’s side’s early season excellent form, and manifest it into a full-blown league title challenge.
They will have to change what we can only describe as a torrid record against The Reds. Arsenal has only won just one of their last fifteen clashes against Liverpool. That victory came during project restart back in July 2020. The Gunners have since lost their last four straight against The Reds. They have never lost five in a row against this team.
One player who looms as a difference-maker for the north London club is Gabriel Jesus. He has had six score involvements [4 goals 2 assists] in his eight matches against Liverpool. His four goals have all come in home fixtures against The Reds.
Arsenal vs Liverpool FYIs
Kick Off: Oct 9, 2022, at 4.30 pm UK at Emirates Stadium
After Extra Time Pod: Spotify Apple
Liverpool Team News Starting XI Prediction: Go here
Google Result Probability: Arsenal 38% Draw 24% Liverpool 21%
PL Position, Form Guide: Arsenal 1st, 21pts WWWLW Liverpool 9th, 10pts WD- -D
Team News
Cedric Soares returns to the first team squad ahead of this match. The Portuguese defender is unlikely to get a start, but his return should boost the squad. Elsewhere Emile Smith Rowe and Mohamed Elneny remain long-term injury absences. We do not expect both players back until after the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Here are the latest comments from Mikel Arteta regarding the players’ injuries.
Emile Smith Rowe
“It is very difficult to give a timeline. It depends on the first process, how the bones heal, how was his first reaction, his improvement and how he’s adapting. We need to go step by step” [Sept 30]
Mohamed Elneny
“With Mo, it’s probably a little bit easier, and we are talking months.”
Starting XI Prediction
Mikel Arteta made wholesale changes against Bodo Glimt in the Europa League and still recorded a victory. I expect it will be back to the full strength line up for one of their sternest tests of the season so far.
GK- Ramsdale
DEF- White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko
MID- Xhaka, Partey, Odegaard
ATT- Saka, Jesus, Martinelli
Stuey’s Two Cents
This is a huge match. It is perhaps the biggest clash of the season so far. One benchmark of recent seasons in Liverpool travel to London to take on this season’s surprise packets, Arsenal. A victory for Arsenal would define, not to mention the confidence it will breed. A loss for Liverpool could be fatal to any flagging title ambitions they still may have.
I’d love to pick Liverpool, but I simply can’t. If Liverpool performs as they have in other league matches this season, and Arsenal does the same – it won’t even be close.
I struggle to see Liverpool getting out of this match, even if they improve their form. As much as I hate to say it, this match could herald a changing of the guard.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1
Stuart Kavanagh is a journalist currently residing in Broken Hill, Australia. He writes for the Barrier Truth newspaper, along with being the owner of the sports and entertainment website thepyrrhic.com, He co-hosts the ‘After Extra Time’ podcast and contributes at edgeofthecrowd.com when time permits. He is also the Media & Communications Director at the Newosis Mental Health Foundation. You can find more about what the Newosis Mental Health Foundation is about here.
Football mad, he is always down for debate and discussion at @stueyissickofit on Twitter.