Liverpool vs Arsenal prediction, odds, lineups and bet builder tips
Liverpool vs Arsenal prediction, lineups, bet builder tips and free bets for the pre-Christmas cracker on Saturday in the Premier League
It’s a mouthwatering top-of-the-table Premier League showdown as Liverpool and Arsenal square off at Anfield on Saturday evening. Jurgen Klopp’s side surrendered top spot last weekend after being held to a 0-0 draw by Manchester United.
However, the Reds rebounded in style with a 5-1 hammering of West Ham in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday. As for Arsenal, they fulfilled their end of the bargain last Sunday when beating Brighton 2-0 to move into top spot. The Gunners will now look to tighten their grip on the Premier League title race by triumphing at Anfield for the first time since 2012.
Liverpool vs Arsenal Prediction
Liverpool and Arsenal traded blows in a 2-2 thriller at Anfield towards the tail-end of last season and all the ingredients are in place for another entertaining encounter on Saturday evening.
While Liverpool failed to make a breakthrough against Manchester United last weekend, it’s highly unlikely Arsenal will replicate the Red Devils’ low block with a view to keeping things tight.
That should lead to quite an open affair at Anfield and Jurgen Klopp’s hosts have the attacking quality to exploit an Arsenal defence that has been breached in four of their last five league games away from the Emirates.
However, at the other end of the park, Liverpool showed how susceptible they are to conceding when shipping three goals in their recent home game with Fulham, which doesn’t augur well ahead of a visit from the league leaders.
As already mentioned, last season’s encounter between the duo ended in an enjoyable 2-2 draw and a similar high-scoring shootout could be on the cards on Saturday.
Liverpool vs Arsenal Lineups
How are both teams expected to line up on Saturday evening? Here are the predicted lineups from WhoScored.com with all the relevant team news.
Liverpool Predicted Lineup vs Arsenal
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Tsimikas; Szoboszlai, Endo, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs Liverpool
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli
Liverpool vs Arsenal Team News
Liverpool remain without the likes of Thiago Alcantara, Andy Robertson and Diogo Jota, while defender Joel Matip has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Alexis Mac Allister remains sidelined with a knee issue.
Curtis Jones could start here, after his standout display against West Ham in the Carabao Cup.
Mikel Arteta remains without long-term absentees Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey, while Takehiro Tomiyasu now looks set for a spell on the sidelines.
Jorginho is a doubt, after suffering an ankle injury.
Mikel Arteta should go with the same XI as that which saw off Brighton last weekend.
Liverpool vs Arsenal Bet Builder Tips
Both Teams to Score
Start the bet365 Bet Builder by backing both teams to score. Although Liverpool failed to net last weekend, that was just the first time the Reds have failed to register a goal in the Premier League this season and they can rediscover their scoring touch against an Arsenal team that have kept just one clean sheet across their last five top-flight road trips.
Having scored in 24 of their 26 games in all competitions this season, the Gunners are usually good for a goal themselves and should get some joy going forward against Liverpool's high line.
Bukayo Saka Over 0.5 Shots on Target
Bukayo Saka, like last season, is spearheading the Gunners’ title challenge. Arsenal’s talismanic attacker has registered a team-high 19 goal involvements across his 22 appearances in all competitions this season so far.
The Arsenal forward is averaging just over one shot on target per-game in the Premier League this season and Saka can work Álisson at least once here to boost the bet365 Bet Builder.
Kostas Tsimikas Over 0.5 Fouls
Given that Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas is likely to be tasked with keeping tabs on Bukayo Saka, conclude the bet365 Builder by backing the Reds defender to commit a minimum of one foul. The Greek left-back has committed at least one foul in six of his nine top-flight appearances this term, making nine in total across that stretch of games.
Only Jordan Ayew has been fouled more times in the Premier League this season than the aforementioned Saka, with Arsenal’s star man drawing 2.43 fouls per-90-minutes from top-flight opposition this term to date.
Grant Heaney’s Bet Builder for Liverpool vs Arsenal can be backed @ 11/4 on bet365.
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