Liverpool FC is set to welcome a formidable Arsenal side at the dreaded Anfield Stadium on Saturday, December 23 in a crunch Premier League tie billed to be one of the potential title-deciding games.
The top of the table clash comes at a time when only one point separates the two sides with the Gunners leading the competitive race with 39 points.
Both clubs go into the match knowing that a win will put them in an excellent position to dethrone Manchester City as the dominant champions for the last three consecutive seasons.
Arsenal will visit Anfield with their heads held high after convincingly overcoming Brighton & Hove Albion in their recent match where Gabriel Jesus and a new look Kai Havertz were on the score sheet for the Mikel Arteta-led charges.
On the other hand, Liverpool will be hoping to leave the disappointment of sharing spoils with a weak Manchester United side in their latest league match behind and continue with their dominance against Arsenal.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of the biggest clash of the weekend.
What time does Liverpool vs Arsenal start?
The match is expected to begin at 8:30 PM Tanzanian time at Anfield Stadium.
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Liverpool vs Arsenal Team News
The Reds’ midfield has been hard hit by injuries with several key players facing lengthy absence.
FIFA World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister, Diogo Jota, Thiago Alcantara and Ryan Gravenberch are all expected to watch Sunday’s clash from afar while reliable defenders Andy Robertson and Joel Matip will also sit this one out.
As Jürgen Klopp continues to scratch his head trying to figure out the right balance, Arsenal received a huge boost last week with the return of Ghanaian international Thomas Partey.
However, it is not yet clear whether the experienced midfielder will make it to the team since he just started training a few days ago.
Should Partey fail to get the nod from his boss, Arsenal fans would not have any reason to worry since they have one of the best midfields in the league with Declan Rice, Martin Ødegaard and Havertz enjoying a good partnership.
Arteta is also expected to be without the services of Jurrien Timber, Fabio Viera, Jorginho, and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Possible Starting Lineups
Liverpool: Alisson, Trent, Van Dijk, Konate, Tsimikas, Endo, Szoboszlai, Elliott, Salah, Dias, Nunez
Arsenal: Raya, Zinchenko, Gabriel, Saliba, White, Ødegaard, Rice, Havertz, Saka, Martinelli, Jesus
Liverpool vs Arsenal head-to-head
The two clubs have locked horns 15 times in all competitions since 2018 with Arsenal only registering two wins. The Reds won seven of those games with the rest ending in draws.
Moreover, Anfield has been a tricky hunting ground for Arsenal with their last win at the over 54,000 seater stadium coming in September 2012.
In their recent match, the Gunners squandered a 1-2 lead to draw with the Merseyside club in the dying moments thanks to a Roberto Firmino’s goal.
Red hot winger Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli netted Arsenal’s goals in that memorable match which was played in April with Mohamed Salah also getting on the score sheet for the hosts.
Liverpool: 7
Draws: 6
Arsenal: 2
Liverpool vs Arsenal Current Form
Liverpool: WWWWD
Arsenal: WWLDW
Liverpool vs Arsenal Prediction
The game promises to be a cracker because Arsenal and Liverpool will do everything in their power to win the match and stay in control of the title race.
However, the Gunners will have to stay disciplined and avoid concentration lapses to return to London with maximum points. Generally, football fans should expect an end-to-end encounter with several goals.