Arsenal await Liverpool this weekend for a match slated to determine which team leads the Premier League at Christmas. The Gunners currently have a one-point advantage over their Saturday adversaries, but a win for Aston Villa against Sheffield United would see them leapfrog Arsenal to claim the Christmas top spot.
Liverpool’s recent 0-0 draw with Manchester United will have given Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta hope for a similar result. However, any complacency will be quashed by the fact that Liverpool scored five goals against West Ham in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday. With a handful of players out with injuries, Arteta is likely to stick to a familiar team selection.
The starting lineup for Arsenal likely to take on Liverpool is as follows:
GK: David Raya
RB: Ben White
CB: William Saliba
CB: Gabriel Magalhaes
LB: Oleksandr Zinchenko
CM: Martin Odegaard
CM: Declan Rice
CM: Kai Havertz
RW: Bukayo Saka
ST: Gabriel Jesus
LW: Gabriel Martinelli
David Raya continues to be Arteta’s preferred option in goal. Ben White and William Saliba have impressed in defense, while Gabriel Magalhaes also holds a crucial role. Midfield duties will likely be shouldered by Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and Kai Havertz, who have all been in good form recently. Arsenal’s attack will be spearheaded by Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, and Gabriel Martinelli, with all three looking to make an impact against Liverpool.
As Arsenal inches closer to the top of the Premier League, a win against Liverpool at Anfield is crucial to cement their position at the summit. As the festive season approaches, the battle for the top spot is intensifying, and all eyes are on the crucial clash between Arsenal and Liverpool.
