Liverpool’s third game of the campaign provides one of the Premier League‘s toughest tests as Arsenal arrive at Anfield.
Liverpool vs. Arsenal
Premier League (3) | Anfield
August 31, 2025 | 4.30pm (BST)
One of Liverpool and Arsenal, possibly both, will forfeit their 100 percent start to the campaign, with the teams each having won their opening two matches.
It is an almost annual occurrence for the sides to meet at the start of the season, and the games can often be difficult to predict as both outfits are still gelling.
While the season is still young, if one team were to prevail as comfortable winners, it would provide a major psychological boost over their title rivals.
1. Positive injury updates
Arne Slot had three positive updates to offer on Liverpool’s potential injury doubts, saying Alexis Mac Allister “started training again” after missing the win over Newcastle.
Meanwhile, Conor Bradley has “trained this week, all week,” having come off the bench for his first minutes of the season at St James’ Park.
Virgil van Dijk “is also OK,” Slot added in reference to the dangerous tackle he was on the end of from Anthony Gordon.
No update was offered on Jeremie Frimpong, however, the latest news revealing that he will be absent until the end of the upcoming international break.
2. Team news
With Bradley back in contention, Slot must now decide whether to stick with Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back following his excellent showing on Monday, or throw Bradley into a tough game against Arsenal.
It seems more likely that Liverpool’s Hungarian will start, leaving room for Curtis Jones or Alexis Mac Allister to line up alongside Ryan Gravenberch and Florian Wirtz in midfield.
The head coach also has a decision to make at left-back as Milos Kerkez continues to prove a problem with his rash decision-making – Andy Robertson could be the better option at Anfield.
Selection up front is more straightforward, with Mo Salah, Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo all expected to start together for a third consecutive Premier League match.
Predicted XI: Alisson; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Wirtz; Salah, Ekitike, Gakpo
3. How Arsenal are faring
Mikel Arteta’s side have had a strong start to the season, beating Man United 1-0 at Old Trafford before thrashing Leeds 5-0 at home.
Fans are feeling confident too, with new striker Viktor Gyokeres having opened his account against Leeds as fellow incomers Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke impressed concurrently.
Whether Arsenal actually kick on and improve on their three successive second-place finishes will likely come down to whether they are able to effectively move away from a conservative style of play that often relies on set-pieces to break deadlocks.
Against Liverpool, we can expect them to line up with a defensive outlook while seeking to use Gyokeres as a target man on the break as Madueke and Ethan Nwaneri or Eberechi Eze run off the centre-forward.
4. Bukayo Saka out and Martin Odegaard doubt
After Bukayo Saka went off with a hamstring problem against Leeds, Arteta has explained that the winger “will be out for a few weeks” but won’t need surgery.
Kai Havertz will also miss Sunday’s game through injury, but Martin Odegaard could be involved despite not training yet this week.
The manager said “there is an injury there” for his captain before adding: “We are doing everything we can to make him available, but we have to wait and see.”
Predicted XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice, Merino; Eze, Gyokeres, Madueke
5. Improvement needed at set-pieces
Arsenal have won five corners in their opening two games and scored from three of them. Since the start of the 2023/24 season, they have scored from 33 corners, 13 more than the second-best in that respect, Liverpool.
Those statistics may make for worrying reading among Liverpool fans, but Slot is aware of the threat and is “not panicking at all” about the issue.
“One thing that stands out in the season until now and what stands out in a negative way for us is that we’ve conceded, if I include the Bilbao game, four set-pieces,” said the Dutchman.
“One of their strengths is also set-pieces and that is an area where we – if you look at Monday when we faced Newcastle, we conceded two, and against Bilbao we conceded two – it’s a part we need to improve where, by the way, we were really good at last season, so [I’m] not panicking at all.”
6. Did you know?
Should he find the net, Hugo Ekitike would become the first Liverpool player since John Miller in 1892/93 to score in his opening four games for the club, including the Community Shield.
Liverpool are undefeated in the last 12 league meetings at Anfield and could equal the club record of 13 set from December 1975 to January 1988.
Salah’s next goal will see him move into fourth place on the Premier League era topscorers list, taking him to 188, one more than Andy Cole.
7. Chris Kavanagh is the referee
Chris Kavanagh, who was the referee for the Community Shield, has been appointed to take charge of Sunday’s fixture, with Dan Cook and Wade Smith acting as assistants and Sam Barrott taking the role of fourth official.
Meanwhile, Michael Salisbury will be the lead video assistant referee, while Sian Massey-Ellis provides assistance in Stockley Park.
Liverpool haven’t won any of their last three matches refereed by Kavanagh, losing the Community Shield final on penalties, suffering defeat to Fulham in April and drawing away against Nottingham Forest in January.
8. Prediction time!
Arsenal have not won in the last 12 league visits to Anfield, drawing five and losing seven, but they are undefeated in the last six league meetings against Liverpool.
That is their longest such run against the Reds since a sequence of eight from 2007-2011.
The Gunners have won just three of their last 20 league games against Liverpool, losing nine.
9. Follow the match with TIA
Liverpool vs. Arsenal is live on Sky Sports Premier League with kickoff at 4.30pm (BST).
TIA’s matchday live blog will be up and running from 3.45pm, with Harry McMullen tasked with keeping you entertained and up-to-date.
Come on you Reds!
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