Liverpool host Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday in the standout fixture of Premier League matchweek nine — second against fourth, with both sides chasing Manchester City at the top of the table.
After eight games, City lead on 21 points, Arsenal are second on 21, Brighton third on 16 and Liverpool fourth on 15. A win for Arsenal keeps them level with City at the summit. A win for Liverpool closes the gap to three points and drags the champions back into the race. A draw suits nobody but City.
Kick-off is at 16:30 GMT on Sunday, November 1, at Anfield. Andy Madley is the referee. The match is live on Sky Sports Main Event.
Arsenal's injury list defines the game
Mikel Arteta's team selection is shaped by who is missing. Bukayo Saka, Arsenal's most reliable source of goals, is out with a quadriceps injury suffered at Bayern Munich and faces six to eight weeks on the sidelines. William Saliba, the centre-back around whom Arsenal's defence is built, is out with a back injury and is not expected back before December.
That defence has still been the best in the league — five goals conceded in eight games — even without Saliba all campaign. But Anfield, against a Liverpool side that has kept four clean sheets in six league games, is the sternest test of that record yet.
The third absence is self-inflicted. Max Dowman, the 16-year-old, is suspended for three matches after his red card at Fleetwood Town, with the FA rejecting Arsenal's appeal on Thursday. He would have been in contention for the squad at Anfield.
There is one fitness doubt that could swing the game: Noni Madueke, the winger expected to take Saka's place on the right, missed the cup tie at Fleetwood with an ankle problem. Arteta could not clear him on Friday, saying only: "We don't know yet, we have a training session tomorrow and see if he can complete the full session." With Saka out and Dowman suspended, Arsenal need Madueke fit.
There is better news elsewhere. Declan Rice, Riccardo Calafiori and Christos Tzolis all trained on Friday and should be available. Tzolis is back in the squad after a hamstring injury picked up on international duty.
Arsenal also come into the game after a midweek Carabao Cup defeat at Fleetwood Town, a tie in which Arteta made sweeping changes. The expectation is that an almost entirely new defence is selected for Anfield — with David Raya returning in goal — while Kai Havertz is tipped to lead the line ahead of Viktor Gyokeres.
Liverpool's own problems
Liverpool are far from full strength either. Jeremie Frimpong is out after suffering a new muscle injury within minutes of coming on at Brentford, and manager Andoni Iraola has said it will be difficult to have him back before the November international break. Hugo Ekitike is sidelined with an Achilles injury, Conor Bradley with a knee injury, and Giovanni Leoni is taking longer than expected to recover from his knee problem.
Dominik Szoboszlai is a doubt with a recurring thigh problem, and Victor Munoz — who could return to contention after missing three matches — is also doubtful with a knee complaint.
There was also concern over Florian Wirtz, who twisted his ankle in the 2-0 win over Brighton and went off just after the hour. The good news for Liverpool is that Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola were all rested for the Carabao Cup win over Chelsea, came on as second-half substitutes and were successful in the shootout.
What to watch
The first question is how Arsenal replace Saka. Without him, their right side has to be rebuilt for this test, and if Madueke does not pass his late fitness check, Arteta's options narrow sharply. The second question is whether Liverpool's reshaped attack — Isak leading the line, Wirtz behind him, Barcola and Cody Gakpo wide — can break down the league's best defence.
The midfield battle matters too. Rice and Martin Odegaard will carry Arsenal's structure, while Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister anchor Liverpool. Szoboszlai's availability, or lack of it, changes how much central running Liverpool can get from their double pivot.
Then there is Anfield itself. Liverpool have looked far stronger at the back whenever their first-choice defenders have played, and with Saka ruled out, a home clean sheet is a realistic expectation. Arsenal, for their part, have built their title challenge on defensive solidity — and Sunday is the day that foundation is tested most severely.
The two managers know each other well: Andoni Iraola and Mikel Arteta are childhood friends, now meeting as rival Premier League managers with the title race at stake.
The stakes
The arithmetic is stark. Arsenal are level with City at the top; a defeat at Anfield, combined with a City win, would leave them three points behind with their injury list still long. Liverpool are six points behind the leaders; a defeat would leave them nine adrift before November, and the title race would start to look like a two-horse contest.
Predictions lean narrowly toward the home side — TNT Sports tips Liverpool 1-0, while other previews have it 2-1 to Liverpool — but a tight, low-scoring game is the common expectation, given both defences and both injury lists.
Confirmed line-ups are announced one hour before kick-off. Follow the match on GoalZaro's live scores page and our Premier League weekend preview.
Match details
Fixture: Liverpool vs Arsenal, Premier League matchweek 9 Venue: Anfield, Liverpool Kick-off: Sunday, November 1, 2026, 16:30 GMT Referee: Andy Madley TV: Sky Sports Main Event
Questions, answered
When is Liverpool vs Arsenal? Sunday, November 1, 2026, 16:30 GMT at Anfield.
Is Saka playing? No. Bukayo Saka is out for six to eight weeks with a quadriceps injury suffered at Bayern Munich.
Is Saliba playing? No. William Saliba is out with a back injury and is not expected back before December.
Why is Max Dowman suspended? The 16-year-old was sent off against Fleetwood Town and Arsenal's appeal was rejected, so he serves a three-match domestic ban starting at Anfield.
Who is out for Liverpool? Jeremie Frimpong (muscle), Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Conor Bradley (knee) and Giovanni Leoni (knee) are out. Dominik Szoboszlai and Victor Munoz are doubts.
What is at stake? Arsenal are second on 21 points, level with leaders Manchester City. Liverpool are fourth on 15 points.
Sources
Team news and injury updates: The Hard Tackle, "Liverpool vs Arsenal Preview: Prediction, Probable Lineups, Tactics, Team News & Stats"; Premier League News Now, "Liverpool vs Arsenal preview, team news and prediction"; Sports Illustrated, "Liverpool vs. Arsenal: Preview, Predictions and Lineups"; Football365, "Liverpool v Arsenal: Prediction, team news, lineups and odds"; TNT Sports, "Liverpool vs Arsenal: Prediction, Tips and Odds"; Yardbarker, "Liverpool vs Arsenal: Premier League preview, predictions, team news and TV info". Table after eight games and fixtures: GoalZaro's Premier League weekend preview, October 31, 2026. Confirmed line-ups had not been announced at the time of writing.
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