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Up to date 2m in the past
Liverpool proceed their Premier League title defence by welcoming title rivals Arsenal to Anfield as we speak.
This can be a mouthwatering conflict between the one two groups with a 100 per cent win file from their first two matches.
Arne Slot’s champions stormed to the title final season, whereas Mikel Arteta is out to show his Arsenal facet can go one higher than second.
GO FURTHER
Liverpool vs Arsenal preview: Switch home windows in contrast, gamers to look at, opponent weaknesses
We’ve got two Premier League video games at present underneath manner as we speak, with each simply reaching half-time.
Right here’s a have a look at the scores:
And as a reminder, Liverpool vs Arsenal follows these matches earlier than Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace within the night kick-off.
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We requested our specialists, Dan Sheldon and Andy Jones…
DS: Undoubtedly Arsenal. Arteta knew precisely what his crew wanted to recover from the road within the Premier League, having completed second within the final three seasons, and appears to ensure there shall be no excuses in the event that they fail to complete first in 2025-26.
Gyokeres, Eze, Zubimendi and Madueke are all first-team-worthy additions, whereas Christian Norgaard, goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and Cristhian Mosquera add high quality to the squad.
They’ve spent a good bit of cash — simply over £250million — this summer season, however every gap that emerged final 12 months, whether or not it was in assault or in midfield, has now been plugged.
AJ: As of proper now, I must go for Arsenal.
Liverpool have finished glorious and crowd pleasing enterprise with the additions of forwards Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, centre-back Giovanni Leoni and future No 1 Giorgi Mamardashvili.
The signings are for now and the long run, however these arrivals imply tweaks to a title-winning system and they’ll want time to regulate.
They’ve purchased properly, however they’ve additionally offered properly, and in doing so, weakened their squad in ahead areas. Arsenal, however, have addressed the areas they wanted and have a deeper squad than they did final season.
As for his or her outgoings, it has been a summer season to refresh Mikel Arteta’s squad with some longstanding figures exiting the Emirates:
Out
It has been a busy window for the London membership as we method deadline day, let’s remind ourselves of their incoming enterprise to this point:
In
And what in regards to the gamers who’ve left Anfield? Properly, there have been lots…
Out
Arne Slot’s facet have been fairly energetic over the summer season as they give the impression of being to construct a crew able to defending their title. Right here’s the enterprise they’ve finished to this point bringing in new faces:
In
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Michael Salisbury, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) from Chelsea’s win over Fulham, has been taken off duties for Liverpool’s recreation in opposition to Arsenal as we speak.
Salisbury was on the centre of a controversial disallowed objective for Fulham throughout Saturday’s recreation, the place Josh King’s effort was dominated out for a foul by Rodrigo Muniz on Trevoh Chalobah earlier within the passage of play.
On-field referee Rob Jones was instructed to assessment the footage by Salisbury.
Sources near Skilled Sport Match Officers Restricted (PGMOL) — the physique which oversees refereeing in England — have acknowledged an error was made in that passage — that there shouldn’t have been a VAR intervention.
Salisbury’s removing from as we speak’s recreation at Anfield displays this. John Brooks will act as VAR at Anfield as a substitute.
GO FURTHER
VAR from Chelsea-Fulham taken off duties for Liverpool-Arsenal as PGMOL acknowledges error made
Should you ask me the Arsenal participant who worries Liverpool followers most, the reply is fairly simple.
First title, Set. Second title, Piece.
In all seriousness, Arsenal are dead-ball juggernauts, and whereas Gabriel and William Saliba, amongst others are ruthless, the person usually delivering the ball into the center is my choose — Declan Rice.
Set-piece routines don’t work except you may rely on the standard of the cross and the midfielder supplies that certainty. He’s additionally the engine room of Arsenal’s midfield and may take management of video games.
Mohamed Salah has been considered one of, if not the, standout gamers in latest Premier League historical past, and is Liverpool’s most evident and harmful menace.
In Salah’s 16 top-flight appearances in opposition to Arsenal — for Chelsea and Liverpool — he has scored 11 targets, received eight matches and solely misplaced twice.
The 33-year-old received his compulsory opening-day objective in Liverpool’s 4-2 win over Bournemouth, however had a comparatively quiet night of their victory in opposition to Newcastle United on Monday evening at St James’ Park.
Ought to Arteta go for Riccardo Calafiori at left-back once more, the Italian will little doubt be in for a busy afternoon in what shall be one of many hardest assessments he’ll face all season.
It’s go time within the two 2pm BST, 9am ET kick-offs:
We are going to in fact convey you key updates from these matches.
Then later, it’s Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace at 7pm BST, 2pm ET.
In Liverpool and Arsenal, you have got two of the very best fanbases in England.
There isn’t a denying, particularly final season, that Liverpool’s followers had the higher marketing campaign, having received the Premier League, and that provides them bragging rights at Anfield as we speak.
However that doesn’t imply Arsenal’s supporters shall be drowned out on Merseyside.
It’s all the time tense when you have got two groups that shall be going toe-to-toe all season for the Premier League, but that’s what makes it a terrific home rivalry.
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There has all the time been a respect between the 2 fanbases and it has been good to see the Emirates return to an intimidating floor in latest seasons.
The supporters deserve credit score for that, helped by improved on-pitch performances.
It has led to the reigniting of a terrific rivalry, with each golf equipment competing for the most important honours domestically and in Europe.
Two video games right into a season is simply too early for a title decider, however as we speak’s match between Liverpool and Arsenal will inform us how final 12 months’s prime two within the Premier League measure up in opposition to one another after busy summers.
Each have invested closely of their squads, and each have began with two wins from their first two video games. Earlier than they each log off for the primary worldwide break, we’ll have a look on this dwell protection at how they’re set.
Liverpool author Andy Jones and his Arsenal counterpart Dan Sheldon will stay up for the sport. Stick round.
Will Eberechi Eze make his Arsenal debut as we speak? He has typically impressed in his latest journeys to Anfield for Crystal Palace.
He performed an hour as the edges drew 1-1 within the ultimate recreation of final season, scored the one objective in a 1-0 win for Palace there within the 2023-24 season, and assisted Wilfried Zaha’s opener in a 1-1 attract 2022-23.
The query is the place he is perhaps deployed underneath Mikel Arteta. Requested whether or not he must make changes to Arsenal’s type to accommodate Eze’s free-flowing nature, Arteta stated:
💬 “We’ve got to place him within the positions and situations the place he can ship these moments that are the explanation why we introduced him right here.
“To present us one thing totally different, one thing surprising and we’ll adapt to extra what is critical as we all know the result of that’s actually huge.”
Liverpool right-back Jeremie Frimpong is out till after the upcoming worldwide break with a hamstring harm.
Dominik Szoboszlai, who deputised properly in opposition to Newcastle in that place, might achieve this once more, although Conor Bradley — after a full week of coaching — and Joe Gomez are various choices.
Alexis Mac Allister is about to return alongside Ryan Gravenberch in midfield in a major enhance to supervisor Arne Slot.
One participant who won’t be concerned as we speak is Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka.
He’s set to miss a “few weeks” with a muscular harm however doesn’t require surgical procedure on the difficulty, Mikel Arteta has stated.
The 23-year-old pulled up within the 5-0 win in opposition to Leeds United, earlier than happening and being tended to by Arsenal’s medical employees.
Saka was sidelined for over three months after requiring surgical procedure on his left hamstring in 2024-25.
Mikel Arteta has stated new signing Eberechi Eze is ready to make his debut as we speak, although Ben White, captain Martin Odegaard, and Christian Norgaard are uncertain, with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus undoubtedly out.
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Final season, it took Liverpool 9 video games to concede 4 Premier League targets. This 12 months, they did it in two. Throw within the Group Protect, and it’s six targets conceded in three aggressive video games for Arne Slot’s crew.
That is very removed from a disaster. Liverpool are considered one of three Premier League golf equipment to nonetheless have a 100 per cent file and, apart from, three video games is simply too small a pattern dimension to attract sweeping conclusions.
For one factor, Liverpool have but to subject Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, the essential midfield axis of final season, collectively in a recreation.
There are, nonetheless, some warning indicators that Slot may have famous forward of a recreation in opposition to Arsenal.
And what about Arsenal?
Properly, that is how their Champions League group part is shaping up.
GO FURTHER
Arsenal evaluation after Champions League draw: Bayern showdown, Inter away, Atletico at residence
Each of as we speak’s groups will function on this season’s Champions League, with progress in Europe firmly in Liverpool’s sights after a comparatively early exit within the competitors final season.
They went out within the spherical of 16 after topping the group part, with defeat in opposition to eventual winners PSG.
After the group part draw final week, Liverpool now know they may have residence video games in opposition to Actual Madrid, Atletico Madrid, PSV Eindhoven and Qarabag.
The away video games within the league part shall be in opposition to Inter, Eintracht Frankfurt, Marseille and Galatasaray.
