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TEAM NEWS
Liverpool will assess full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was forced off against Hoffenheim with a dead leg.
Unsettled midfielder Philippe Coutinho, who was ruled out in midweek because of a virus, is again set to miss out.
Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez could make his first appearance of the season after recovering from an abdominal strain.
Centre-back Laurent Koscielny is also available after completing a three-game ban.
MOTD COMMENTATOR’S NOTES
Steve Wilson: “It was 53 years ago this week the bosses at BBC Sport picked Liverpool’s home game with Arsenal to be the first ever game shown on their new Saturday night programme, Match of the Day.
“The fixture is still as stirring as it ever was. From Michael Thomas in 1989 to Georginio Wijnaldum in 2017 via Robbie Fowler’s four-minute hat-trick and Andrey Arshavin’s four in one game – and far too many other great moments to list – it has simply never been dull.
“This is likely to be in the same vein. Liverpool – even without Philippe Coutinho – look as capable as ever of scoring sublimely or conceding almost subliminally. Arsenal – maybe with Alexis Sanchez – could either make them pay, or let them make hay. It was ever thus.”
Twitter: @Wilsonfooty
LAWRO’S PREDICTION
Liverpool face an Arsenal team that still has more questions than answers about it. They were fortunate to beat Leicester and, against Stoke, while they can have a moan about some of the decisions, it exposed that familiar soft underbelly.
The problem for the Gunners is that every time they lose you are waiting for the ‘Wenger out’ to start.
Prediction: 1-1
Lawro’s full predictions v Hollywood actor Channing Tatum
- Think you can do better than Lawro? Predict the score for this match and the rest of this round’s Premier League fixtures in our Predictor game
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Liverpool won both of their Premier League meetings with Arsenal last term. They haven’t won three top-flight matches in a row versus the Gunners since a four-match streak from 1996 to 1998.
- Games between these clubs have produced 17 Premier League goals in the 90th minute or later – more than any other fixture.
Liverpool
- Liverpool won 20 points from 10 Premier League matches (W7, D5) against the rest of the top six in 2016-17, more than any other side.
- The Reds could keep four successive Premier League clean sheets at Anfield for the first time since 2013.
- Sadio Mane has had a hand in five goals in his five previous Premier League starts against Arsenal (three goals and two assists).
- Mane could become the third player, after Robbie Fowler and Daniel Sturridge, to score in each of Liverpool’s first three matches in a Premier League season.
- Roberto Firmino has scored three goals in four Premier League games against Arsenal.
Arsenal
- The Gunners had the worst record in games involving the top six last season, claiming nine points and losing five of 10 matches.
- They are winless in their last 12 away league games against the sides which ended in last season’s top six (L7, D5).
- Arsenal have lost eight of their last 13 Premier League away matches (W4, D1) – as many defeats as they suffered in their previous 41 games on the road.
- Petr Cech has conceded 26 goals against Liverpool in the Premier League – against no side has he let in more.
- Alexis Sanchez scored only one goal in eight league appearances against the teams that finished above Arsenal last season.
| SAM’s verdict | |
|---|---|
| Most probable score: 1-1 | Probability of draw: 27% |
| Probability of home win: 47% | Probability of away win: 26% |
SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale
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