{"id":102702,"date":"2025-08-30T07:52:12","date_gmt":"2025-08-30T07:52:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/102702\/"},"modified":"2025-08-30T07:52:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-30T07:52:12","slug":"liverpool-vs-arsenal-seven-key-battles-ahead-of-huge-premier-league-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/102702\/","title":{"rendered":"Liverpool vs Arsenal: Seven Key Battles Ahead of Huge Premier League Meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"

On
\nMatchday 3 of the 2025-26 Premier
\nLeague<\/a> season, last term\u2019s top two face off at Anfield. We look
\nat the key battles when Liverpool host Arsenal on
\nSunday.<\/p>\n

Is this the biggest game of the season already? Premier League
\nchampions Liverpool<\/a>
\nwelcome their closest challengers from last season, Arsenal<\/a>,
\nto Anfield for a game on Sunday that gives both teams a chance to
\nmake a big statement in the 2025-26 campaign title race.<\/p>\n

This will be the earliest the previous season\u2019s top two sides
\nhave met in a Premier League campaign since 2017-18, when Chelsea
\nwon 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur on Matchday 2.<\/p>\n

Both have started with two wins from two, with Tottenham the
\nonly other side with a 100% record in the Premier League heading
\ninto MD 3. At least one of them will have dropped points by the end
\nof this weekend, though.<\/p>\n

There will be key battles all over the pitch, and ahead of
\nLiverpool vs Arsenal, we have taken a look at what those could
\nbe.<\/p>\n

Will We
\nHave a Winner?<\/p>\n

A victory would feel massive for either team, but will there be
\none?<\/p>\n

The last four meetings between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield
\nin all competitions have ended in a draw. The last time a team won
\nthe fixture was when Liverpool ran out 4-0 victors in their Premier
\nLeague clash in November 2021.<\/p>\n

Following a 0-0 draw in the League Cup semi-final first leg in
\nJanuary 2022, their last three meetings there have ended 2-2, 1-1
\nand 2-2, with Arsenal recovering from 2-0 down to rescue a point in
\nlast season\u2019s fixture, though that came after Liverpool had already
\nclinched the title.<\/p>\n

\"Liverpool<\/p>\n

In fact, the Reds have had more success against the Gunners at
\nthe Emirates in recent times; their last three wins over Arsenal in
\nall competitions have all come in north London.<\/p>\n

Liverpool are winless in six Premier League matches against
\nArsenal (D4 L2), their longest winless run against them since going
\neight without a win between October 2007 and April 2011.<\/p>\n

However, Arsenal haven\u2019t won at Anfield in almost 13 years. They
\nare winless in their last 12 away games against Liverpool (D5 L7)
\nsince a 2-0 victory in September 2012. Notably, Mikel Arteta played
\nfor the Gunners that day.<\/p>\n

A win would be huge for either team, even at this early stage of
\nthe season, but another draw might be the likeliest outcome based
\non recent history.<\/p>\n

\nMore Liverpool vs Arsenal Preview Content\n<\/p>\n

Is
\nArsenal\u2019s Biggest Strength Liverpool\u2019s Biggest
\nWeakness?<\/p>\n

It is not a new observation to say that Arsenal are potent from
\nset-pieces.<\/p>\n

They have scored 18 goals from set-pieces in the Premier League
\nsince the start of last season, the joint-most along with
\nNottingham Forest, while three of Arsenal\u2019s six goals this season
\nhave come from corners.<\/p>\n

\"Arsenal<\/p>\n

In fact, since the start of the 2023-24 campaign, Arsenal have
\nscored 33 corner goals in the Premier League \u2013 more than any other
\nside in Europe\u2019s big-five leagues. The Gunners have also scored
\nfrom a corner in their last three games, but have never done so in
\nfour games in a row before.<\/p>\n

Liverpool conceded two goals from set pieces in their 3-2 win at
\nNewcastle on Monday, with the second in particular a sloppy one
\nthat allowed William Osula to equalise late on despite the hosts
\nhaving just 10 men.<\/p>\n

So, could Arsenal\u2019s propensity for taking advantage of offensive
\nset-pieces see them get some joy at Anfield?<\/p>\n

The champions have generally looked vulnerable at the back in
\nthe early games of the new campaign, conceding twice against each
\nof Crystal Palace, Bournemouth and Newcastle, though it ultimately
\nonly cost them in their penalty shootout defeat to Palace in the
\nCommunity Shield.<\/p>\n

Specifically looking at set-pieces, though, of the 17
\never-present Premier League teams since the start of last season,
\nonly five have conceded more goals from set-pieces than Liverpool
\ndespite the Reds (11) going on to win the title last season.<\/p>\n

\"Liverpool<\/p>\n

However, it should be mentioned that only Arsenal (88) and
\nManchester City (87) have faced fewer shots from set-piece
\nsituations than Liverpool in that time (110), while only three had
\na lower expected goals against total from set-pieces (9.6). So, it
\ncould be down to variance and bad luck in moments more than just
\nbeing bad at dealing with set-pieces.<\/p>\n

Speaking of which, it should also be noted that Arsenal are one
\nof those teams who have conceded more goals from set-pieces in that
\ntime (14), even though only Man City (7.6) had a lower xG against
\nfrom such situations than their 8.1.<\/p>\n

Liverpool\u2019s defending hasn\u2019t been great in their first few
\ngames, and they\u2019ll need to be on their toes to keep Arsenal at bay
\ngenerally, but perhaps especially from set-pieces.<\/p>\n

Can
\nMohamed Salah Start Firing?<\/p>\n

Mohamed
\nSalah<\/a> may have scored in Liverpool\u2019s opening-day win over
\nBournemouth and grabbed an assist for Rio
\nNgumoha<\/a>\u2019s sensational added-time winner at Newcastle on Monday,
\nbut there\u2019s still a feeling that he\u2019s yet to get going in
\n2025-26.<\/p>\n

Expectation levels are always high for the Egyptian, and
\nespecially so this season after last term\u2019s sensational 47 goal
\ninvolvements (29 goals, 18 assists), which equalled the all-time
\nPremier League seasonal record set by Alan Shearer (1994-95) and
\nAndrew Cole (1993-94) and set a new 38-game season record.<\/p>\n

He both scored and assisted in 11 different Premier
\nLeague matches in 2024-25, breaking another competition record, but
\nin the win over Newcastle, he failed to attempt a single shot in a
\nPremier League game in which he\u2019d played more than 30 minutes for
\njust the third time in a Liverpool shirt.<\/p>\n

A meeting with Arsenal might provide the perfect opportunity for
\nSalah to kick on, however.<\/p>\n

Salah has scored 11 Premier League goals against Arsenal, with
\nonly Harry Kane (14) and Wayne Rooney (12) ever netting more
\nagainst the Gunners. Those 11 goals have been spread across 10
\ndifferent matches \u2013 only Kane (12) has scored in more individual
\ngames against Arsenal in the Premier League than Salah.<\/p>\n

\"Salah<\/p>\n

With Arsenal\u2019s defence the meanest in the Premier League,
\nallowing opponents just 0.86 non-penalty xG since the start of last
\nseason, it will be a difficult task.<\/p>\n

But as the
\nhighest Premier League goalscorer<\/a> still playing in the
\ncompetition (187 goals), if anyone can breach their backline, it\u2019s
\nSalah.<\/p>\n

Can
\nLiverpool Trouble Arsenal Like Man Utd Did?<\/p>\n

If there is one thing that has defined Arsenal under Arteta,
\napart from their efficiency from set-pieces, it is their defensive
\nsteel.<\/p>\n

They have had the best defensive record in the Premier League in
\nthe last two seasons, as well as the lowest expected goals against,
\nand they are yet to concede in 2025-26.<\/p>\n

However, in their opening game of the season at Manchester
\nUnited, Arsenal were fortunate to keep a clean sheet. They may have
\nwon the game 1-0, but United had 22 shots; the last time Arsenal
\nfaced more shots in a league game in which they didn\u2019t have a man
\nsent off was against Manchester City in August 2021 (25 shots). It
\nwas also the most shots they had faced in any league game they kept
\na clean sheet in since November 2020 vs Leeds United (25).<\/p>\n

Arsenal did, though, limit United to just 1.5 xG, or an average
\nxG per shot of only 0.07.<\/p>\n

\"Arsenal<\/p>\n

On Sunday, they come up against a Liverpool side who scored the
\nmost goals in the Premier League last season (86), had the most
\nshots (648), recorded the highest xG total (83.5), and have already
\nscored seven times in two games this season, the most of any
\nPremier League team.<\/p>\n

Things
\nmay have gone slightly awry for Man Utd since that promising
\nopening-day performance<\/a>, but their energy and directness saw
\nthem get at Arsenal for much of that game at Old Trafford, and but
\nfor an inspired performance from David
\nRaya<\/a>, Ruben Amorim\u2019s side could and probably should have won
\nthe game.<\/p>\n

Then you have Liverpool\u2019s potent weapons. As we\u2019ve discussed,
\nArsenal will come up against Salah on Sunday, who has an excellent
\nrecord against them.<\/p>\n

Coupled with that is the home form of Cody
\nGakpo<\/a>, who has scored 17 goals in his last 18 starts at Anfield
\nfor Liverpool in all competitions, scoring at least once in 11 of
\nhis last 12 games as a starter at the ground.<\/p>\n

And to top it off, striker Hugo
\nEkitik\u00e9<\/a> has made an electric start to life at Liverpool\u2026<\/p>\n

Will
\nHugo Ekitik\u00e9 and Viktor Gy\u00f6keres Score
\nAgain?<\/p>\n

When these two teams met at Anfield in May, Liverpool played
\nLuis D\u00edaz up front, while Arsenal started
\nLeandro Trossard<\/a> at the head of their attack; neither one a
\nnatural striker.<\/p>\n

Both clubs used the summer transfer window to bring in more
\ntraditional strikers, and so far, the decision has paid off for
\neach of them.<\/p>\n

Ekitik\u00e9 was meant to be a bit of a project player for Liverpool,
\nespecially with the club reportedly also trying to sign Alexander
\nIsak, who is undoubtedly more of a finished product than the former
\nEintracht Frankfurt man.<\/p>\n

However, he has scored three goals in three games for his new
\nclub, with no other Liverpool player having scored more than once,
\nwhile Ekitik\u00e9 has attempted more shots than any of his teammates
\n(eight).<\/p>\n

He has scored in all three of his appearances for the club
\n(including the Community Shield); the Frenchman is the first
\nLiverpool player to find the net in each of his first three games
\nfor the club since Daniel Sturridge in 2012-13.<\/p>\n

Viktor
\nGy\u00f6keres<\/a> didn\u2019t have the best debut for Arsenal at Manchester
\nUnited, but showed what he is all about in the 5-0 demolition of
\nLeeds United last weekend.<\/p>\n

The Swede\u2019s first goal for his new club in particular was
\ntypical of the impact he had at Sporting CP, cutting inside from
\nthe left channel before slamming his shot inside the near post. He
\nlater calmly dispatched a penalty to seal the rout.<\/p>\n

Ekitik\u00e9 and Gy\u00f6keres both have two goals from two Premier League
\ngames, and in a potentially tight encounter, could well be the
\ndifference makers, giving the game a new dimension after there
\nweren\u2019t any natural strikers on the pitch for the majority of their
\n2-2 draw only three months ago.<\/p>\n

\"Hugo<\/p>\n

\"Viktor<\/p>\n

No
\nRegrets<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a bit clich\u00e9 to cite the midfield battle, but there\u2019s just
\nthat little bit more narrative there for this game.<\/p>\n

Liverpool tried and failed to sign
\nMart\u00edn Zubimendi<\/a> in the summer of 2024, and ultimately decided
\nto give
\nRyan Gravenberch<\/a> a go at playing at the base of the midfield as
\na result. It paid off and then some, with the Dutchman one of the
\nmost impressive players of the 2024-25 season that saw them clinch
\nthe Premier League title.<\/p>\n

Zubimendi stayed at Real Sociedad before signing for Arsenal
\nthis summer, and in only his third game in the Premier League, the
\nSpain international will come up against the club he snubbed 12
\nmonths ago. Will he show Liverpool what they missed out on, or will
\nthe man who benefitted most from that decision outshine him at
\nAnfield?<\/p>\n

Gravenberch made 60 interceptions in the Premier League last
\nseason, the third-most in the whole division, while he won
\npossession 193 times, more than any other Liverpool player.<\/p>\n

\"Ryan<\/p>\n

He made his first appearance of this season in the dramatic 3-2
\nwin at Newcastle, and while Liverpool somewhat struggled to control
\nthings, Gravenberch scored the opening goal and was one of the
\nvisitors\u2019 steadier players on the night.<\/p>\n

Zubimendi has made a promising start to life at Arsenal too,
\nhaving won possession more often than any of his teammates (10)
\nacross their first two Premier League games, while only Jurri\u00ebn
\nTimber (6) has made more than his five tackles.<\/p>\n

\"Martin<\/p>\n

Instead of wondering what might have been, both Liverpool and
\nArsenal will likely be looking at what could still be when it comes
\nto their talented midfielders.<\/p>\n

Will Top
\nTeens Make an Impact?<\/p>\n

Last weekend was quite difficult for people who don\u2019t like being
\nmade to feel old. Not only did Rio
\nNgumoha<\/a> \u2013 born over a month after Spain beat Germany in the
\nEuro 2008 final \u2013 score the winning goal for Liverpool at
\nNewcastle, but Max
\nDowman<\/a> \u2013 born two weeks after the film Avatar was
\nreleased in cinemas in December 2009 \u2013 made his Premier League
\ndebut for Arsenal in their win over Leeds.<\/p>\n

Both made an impact, too. Ngumoha scored the winner in the 100th
\nminute at St James\u2019 Park, making him Liverpool\u2019s youngest ever
\nscorer and the fourth-youngest
\nin Premier League history<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Dowman, meanwhile, came off the bench to become the second-youngest
\nplayer in Premier League history<\/a>, while he also terrorised
\nLeeds down the Arsenal right and even won a penalty to allow
\nGy\u00f6keres to make it 5-0.<\/p>\n

\nIs the Premier League Getting Younger?\n<\/p>\n

And despite the magnitude of the game on Sunday, and the fact
\ntheir combined age is still lower than Mohamed Salah, there is a
\ndecent chance both will feature again.<\/p>\n

With Bukayo
\nSaka<\/a> out injured, the assumption is that Noni
\nMadueke<\/a> will start on the right for Arsenal, but Dowman could
\nwell be the man to replace the former Chelsea winger should Arteta
\nfeel a change is necessary later in the contest. He has shown no
\nfear so far, so even being thrown into the cauldron of Anfield may
\nnot phase him.<\/p>\n

Ngumoha finds himself as arguably only one of two natural left
\nwingers at Liverpool along with Gakpo now that D\u00edaz has departed,
\nand it wouldn\u2019t be a surprise to see Arne Slot turn to him again on
\nSunday given the difference he made at Newcastle.<\/p>\n

All the while, the rest of us can just sit there fuming that
\nboth teams feature players who have probably never heard of
\nCeefax or MySpace.<\/p>\n


\n\"Premier<\/a><\/p>\n

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