If, three games into the season, you had told Arsenal supporters that they would be a point behind Liverpool before they met at Anfield in mid-November you would have been laughed out of the conversation. Yet, with the longest unbeaten run in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s side head to Anfield with growing belief that they might be able to barge into the top four race.
That will surely be tested by a Liverpool side stinging from a 3-2 defeat to West Ham before the international break. Forwards Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino tend to relish their meetings with Arsenal while Jurgen Klopp has lost just one of 11 Premier League meetings against the Gunners. Here is how you can watch the match and what you need to know:
How to watch
Date: Saturday, Nov. 20 | Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
Location: Anfield — Liverpool, United Kingdom
TV/live stream: Peacock
Odds: Liverpool -200; Draw +350; Arsenal +550 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Featured Game | Liverpool vs. Arsenal
Storylines
Liverpool: Klopp will be sweating on the fitness of several key players even as he welcomes Sadio Mane and Fabinho back to fitness after issues over the international break. Andrew Robertson is also a doubt but the impressive form of Kostas Tsimikas means that the Reds ought to be able to cope at left back.
Fabinho’s availability to anchor midfield will certainly be welcomed but doubts over Jordan Henderson mean the wait goes on for Liverpool to unleash the best version of their engine room, particularly with Curtis Jones, Naby Keita and James Milner also unavailable.
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Arsenal: Mikel Arteta may have had a hand in Arsenal’s last win at Anfield but it was as the controlling presence in midfield nine years ago, not the head coach of the Gunners. Liverpool has not been a happy hunting ground for this team in the Premier League with the Reds netting three or more goals in each of their last five home games with Saturday’s opponents, all of which ended in victories.
“I don’t know [why we haven’t won there more], obviously the quality of the opponent has a big say,” said Arteta. “It’s not a coincidence that last year as well before we went to Old Trafford, it was I don’t know how many years before we won, at Stamford Bridge the same, but first of all you have to believe that you go there and that you can beat them, that’s the first thing.
“If somebody is not with that mindset, they should not put the shirt on and go to Anfield tomorrow and then as I said you have to raise individually your game to your best, emotionally, physically, technically and tactically you have to be able to suffer in the right moments. There’s going to be moments where you’re going to have to do that and then as a team you have to have very clear ideas of what you’re going to do on that pitch to beat that side.”
Prediction
An improving Arsenal might not suffer the same sort of humbling defeats that were all too familiar to their supporters over recent years but winning at Anfield may be beyond them right now. PICK: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1