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Liverpool‘s lacklustre performance against Manchester United in the Premier League last weekend was not the way that Jurgen Klopp would have wanted to kick off a triple header at Anfield.
That said, the response against West Ham United in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals proved to be a 5-1 mauling, certainly proving that the Reds have the offensive mettle needed to dispatch Arsenal, who are next up in the league.
One point ahead of Klopp’s second-placed side after 17 matches, this clash will determine who takes pole position on Christmas Day.
With a mounting injury list, Klopp will have to make some tweaks, though Liverpool still have a capable squad of players and Football FanCast predicts that four changes will be made.
1
GK – Alisson Becker
Rested in midweek, Alisson Becker will be one of the most important players against a relentless Arsenal team brimming with belief that this is their year.
The Brazilian shot-stopper is almost unbreakable between the sticks and holds the Premier League’s best save percentage this season at 80.7%.
2
RB – Trent Alexander-Arnold
Having come off the bench to wreak havoc against West Ham, bagging two assists and creating four key passes, which was the joint-most of any player on the pitch, Trent Alexander-Arnold has continued a rather remarkable run of creative form.
The England international will be among Mikel Arteta’s biggest worries heading into the Anfield clash.
3
CB – Ibrahima Konate
With Jarell Quansah starting on Wednesday night, Ibrahima Konate should return to the starting line-up tomorrow to combat the Gunners’ offensive threat, and having been hailed as a “monster” by reporter Charlotte Coates, he could hold the tools to return to winning ways in the league.
4
CB – Virgil van Dijk
The captain and commander. Virgil van Dijk has been imperious this season and is arguably the best centre-back in the world at the moment, having been reborn since donning the captain’s armband in the summer.
As per Sofascore, he has posted a goal and two assists across 15 Premier League outings this season, completing 90% of his passes (and making a key pass every other match), averaging 4.8 clearances, 4.7 ball recoveries and 1.5 tackles and interceptions per game and also 77% of his total duels.
5
LB – Kostas Tsimikas
With Andy Robertson still sidelined with the shoulder injury sustained in October, Kostas Tsimikas will earn his seventh league start from nine matches, having supplied three assists in this period.
6
DM – Wataru Endo
Liverpool’s summer fumble on both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia was met with widespread condemnation from the Anfield faithful, with the subsequent surprise £16m transfer of Stuttgart’s Wataru Endo raising more than a few eyebrows.
The Japan star, aged 30, is industrious and composed but lacked certain key elements that were evident across the first months of his Reds career, but with Alexis Mac Allister currently out injured, he has grown into his skin.
Endo will need to stand strong against a physical Arsenal midfield consisting of the likes of Declan Rice, but he will be desperate to prove his worth and continue a rich vein of form.
7
CM – Dominik Szoboszlai
It’s true, Dominik Szoboszlai didn’t have a very good game against Manchester United, with the Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle branding the Hungary captain with a 4/10 match rating, with misplaced passes and ineffectual decisions galore.
But this does not negate the £60m summer signing‘s world-class credentials, and he responded emphatically against West Ham with a lightning strike from distance.
Perhaps he has plateaued over recent weeks, but Szoboszlai must start over the “incredible” – as has been said by Paul Dalglish – Harvey Elliott, despite the England U21 international’s excellent displays of late.
8
CM – Curtis Jones
Curtis Jones might just be the most underrated player in Liverpool’s squad, but last time out, he produced the magnum opus display of his career so far and has to start against Arsenal.
He might have scored two excellent goals, but Jones completed 93% of his passes and led BBC Sport analyst Raj Chohan to herald his “phenomenal” ball retention skills – this will be vital in maintaining control throughout the forthcoming fixture.
As per FBref, the 22-year-old ranks among the top 14% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 2% for pass completion, the top 14% for progressive passes, the top 11% for progressive carries and the top 16% for tackles per 90.
9
RW – Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah has plundered 15 goals and eight assists across 24 appearances this season and has been ever-incredible in his talismanic performances.
|
Mohamed Salah: Record vs Arsenal |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Games |
Win |
Draw |
Loss |
Goals |
Assists |
|
15 |
8 |
3 |
4 |
9 |
4 |
|
*Sourced via Transfermarkt |
|||||
The Egyptian has found plenty of success against Arsenal in the past and, despite only scoring once from his past five Premier League matches, will be confident that his efforts could reap the rewards for his squad.
10
CF – Cody Gakpo
Cody Gakpo has scored seven goals across all competitions this season but still feels short of his potential, though he has perhaps been a victim of his own versatility.
The 24-year-old has started as centre-forward just once across his past eight Premier League outings but must be provided with the role of striker tomorrow to start blooming.
11
LW – Darwin Nunez
What a difference playing Darwin Nunez on the left made against the Hammers. The Uruguayan failed to score once again, stretching his barren run to 11 matches, but was a menace and caused so many problems.
He simply has to start on the wing once again, where his dynamism and connection with Gakpo in the focal front role can inflict damage on a rock-solid Arsenal defence.
Liverpool line-up in full vs Arsenal: (GK) Alisson Becker; (RB) Trent Alexander-Arnold, (CB) Ibrahima Konate, (CB) Virgil van Dijk, (LB) Kostas Tsimikas; (DM) Wataru Endo, (CM) Dominik Szoboszlai, (CM) Curtis Jones; (RW) Mohamed Salah, (CF) Cody Gakpo, (LW) Darwin Nunez.
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