Key events
Arsenal were criticised for overcelebrating after a terrific 3-1 victory over Liverpool at the Emirates in February. And they’ll happily do it again if they win today.
Team news: Saka starts
Great news for Arsenal: Bukayo Saka has recovered from his hamstring injury and is in their XI. Jurrien Timber is also fit to return, but Riccardo Calafiori hasn’t made it. In all there are three changes to the side that started last weekend’s defeat at Bournemouth. Saka, Timber and Gabriel Martinelli replace Calafiori, Raheem Sterling and the suspended William Saliba. It looks like Ben White will play at centre-back in Saliba’s absence.
Liverpool make three changes, one enforced, from the win over Chelsea last weekend. Darwin Nunez covers for the injured Diogo Jota; Luis Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister are preferred to Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Arsenal (possible 4-2-4) Raya; Partey, White, Gabriel, Timber; Merino, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Trossard, Martinelli.
Substitutes: Neto, Gabriel Jesus, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Sterling, Lewis-Skelly, Nichols, Nwaneri.
Liverpool (4-3-3) Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Diaz.
Substitutes: Jaros, Davies, Gomez, Endo, Szoboszlai, Gakpo, Tsimikas, Quansah, Morton.
Referee Anthony Taylor.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Arsenal v Liverpool at the Emirates. As with many of the best games, before kick-off you can make a decent case for either side being the favourite. Arsenal are at home, where they’ve won 15 of the last 18 games, but they’re on a downer and will be without at least three key players. Liverpool are full of the joys and have won all six away matches under Arne Slot, but they haven’t really been tested in the league. Three of their away wins came against teams in the bottom four; the other was at Old Trafford.
While Liverpool would love to make a statement of title-winning intent, it feels like an even bigger game for Arsenal – not must-win so much as mustn’t-lose. It doesn’t feel right that a team with sucn an outstainding Premier League record in 2024 – P26 W21 D3 L2 Pts 66 – should be under such scrutiny. But this is the life they chose, mainly to experience days like today. And they know a defiant win would end that scrutiny before sundown.
Kick off 4.30pm.
