The outcome of the Liverpool vs. Arsenal clash on Sunday could have a massive effect on the 2022–23 Premier League championship battle. Mikel Arteta’s team will be driven to avoid dropping points against a demoralized Jurgen Klopp’s side. However, playing at Anfield is always a considerable challenge, regardless of how Liverpool currently performs. The opposition side never wants to miss out on their key players when playing at this ground, and Arsenal will be no different. Let’s quickly review the team news and potential starting lineup for Arsenal in their critical clash against Liverpool.
Liverpool vs. Arsenal: Team News for the Gunners
Arsenal will be aiming for their eighth consecutive win in the Premier League competition this weekend. In fact, their latest defeat in all competitions was against Manchester City in mid-February. Liverpool, on the other hand, has remained winless since their 7-0 crushing victory over Manchester United at home. The All-Red have surprisingly underperformed this campaign, but on Sunday, they could become a spoiler in Arsenal’s title race.Read More: ‘I Understand’: Arsenal in Negotiations to Sign ‘Most Impactful Substitute’ Down to New Deal – Romano
Arsenal’s latest victory against Liverpool at Anfield came in 2012, almost 11 years ago. So, this stat makes the matchup even more interesting to watch despite the fact that both sides are going in completely opposite directions in terms of their current form. In that case, having a full-strength squad will boost Mikel Arteta’s confidence before the big matchup.
As per the latest updates, the Gunners will be without some key players for this tough battle against Liverpool away from home.
William Saliba
The most notable one is French defender William Saliba. He is one of the regular starters this season but missed the last two matches due to a back injury that he sustained during Arsenal’s Europa League clash against Sporting CP. Reports, including one from Daniel Cutts, have claimed that he has yet to return to training and will not play in the Liverpool match.
Eddie Nketiah
Former England U21 forward Eddie Nketiah has been regularly featured this season for the Gunners but hasn’t played since early March. He has been suffering from an ankle injury, and multiple reports (like Alex Young of the Evening Standard) claim the talented striker could come back into action before the end of the season.
Takehiro Tomiyasu
Japanese versatile player Takehiro Tomiyasu has proven himself a key member of Mikel Arteta’s setup since making his move to Arsenal in 2021. He sustained a serious injury during Arsenal’s clash against Sporting CP and will be missed for the remainder of the season. Even though Ben White is Arteta’s preferred No. 1 pick for the right-back position, having Tomiyasu would boost Arsenal’s squad strength.
Mohamed Elneny
Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny is still in the recovery process after undergoing surgery last January. When he will come back into action is still uncertain. He will not feature against Liverpool on Sunday.
Read More: ‘Specific Interest’: Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool Target ‘Very Intelligent Player’Arsenal’s Predicted Lineup for Liverpool’s Match at Anfield
Our next test awaits 👊 pic.twitter.com/RvkZA9jTgJ
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 8, 2023
Arsenal’s camp should not feel too worried about their missing players due to injury. Mikel Arteta most likely would have preferred William Saliba to get the start against Liverpool. Apart from him, none of the injured players are the first choices for the starting XI. Besides, the rest of the players in the squad will be available for selection, as there is no suspension issue.
Ramsdale has gained everyone’s trust with his dependable efforts between the sticks. Many pundits even believe he should start for England instead of Jordan Pickford. Although it is a separate subject, he has been a true revolution for the Gunners this year. He must perform at his best to help Arsenal win the match against Liverpool.
With a preferred 4-3-3 system, Zinchenko and White are two important players in the full-back positions.
The Brazilian Gabriel Magalhaes will have to form a solid partnership with Holding in the center-back position. These four will surely start, as will other players like Partey, Xhaka, and Odegaard in the three midfield positions. Odegaard and Xhaka can dominate Liverpool’s present underperforming midfielders, which will be an interesting contest to watch.
In the forward lineups, Saka and Jesus will likely start, but there could be competition between Martinelli and Trossard. However, all four players will surely appear at some point in the match. The Liverpool vs. Arsenal Premier League match will start at 4.30 PM (BST).
Predicted Starting 11 (Arsenal)
Aaron Ramsdale (GK); Oleksandr Zinchenko (RB), Gabriel Magalhaes (CB), Rob Holding (CB), Ben White (LB); Thomas Partey (CM), Granit Xhaka (CM), Martin Odegaard (CM); Bukayo Saka (RW), Gabriel Jesus (CF), Gabriel Martinelli (LW)
