Arsenal v Liverpool Live Football Score 9 October 2022

Arsenal v Liverpool Live Football Score 9 October 2022

League leaders Arsenal will be looking to make it eight wins from nine matches when they take on Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. The visitors, meanwhile, are aiming to return to winning ways having drawn their last two league matches. While Arsenal’s expectations undoubtedly raised after acquiring Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from champions Manchester City in the summer transfer window, even the most ardent Gunners fan may not have predicted such a fast start to the campaign from their side.

Mikel Arteta’s side preserved their status at the top of the Premier League by beating their fiercest rivals Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 in the North London derby last weekend, with Jesus, Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka each on the scoresheet. Emerson Royal’s straight red card for a cynical challenge on Gabriel Martinelli moments after the hour mark undoubtedly helped Arsenal ease to their victory, but they were the better side throughout and on current form look set for their first title challenge in several seasons.

Liverpool, of course, are the only team who have managed to keep pace with Pep Guardiola’s Man City in recent times, making Sunday’s clash an extremely exciting and potentially telling one in terms of anticipating how the rest of the season may unfold. The Gunners extended their winning run in all competitions at home to eight matches by beating Bodo/Glimt 3-0 in the Europa League on Thursday evening. If they can make it nine in a row on Sunday and keep ahead of Man City at the top of the table in the process, then what previously seemed to be wild dreams may become perceived as more realistic ambitions.

Liverpool, on the other hand, are suffering their poorest start to a season in several years, with Jurgen Klopp’s side heading into Sunday’s meeting 11 points behind their forthcoming opponents (albeit with one game in hand). After taking just two points from their opening three games, the Merseysiders looked to have turned a corner with successive home wins against Bournemouth and Newcastle United, but they have since been held by Everton and Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Reds showed great character to turn around a 2-0 deficit against the Seagulls at Anfield last weekend to lead 3-2 in the second half, with Roberto Firmino bagging a brace either side of half-time, but an inspired Leandro Trossard was not to be stopped on the day as the Belgian sealed his hat-trick – and snatched a point for his side – with only seven minutes of normal time remaining. Klopp switched to a more attacking formation against Rangers in the Champions League on Tuesday, with four attackers starting in front of Thiago Alcantara and club captain Jordan Henderson as a midfield pairing. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick and Mohamed Salah’s penalty ultimately downed last season’s Europa League runners-up in a comfortable 2-0 victory.

Whether the German feels his side are capable of visiting an in-form Arsenal side at the Emirates Stadium with such a bold system remains to be seen, especially as it is surely a must not lose game if they are to harbour any realistic hopes of winning the Premier League this season.

Arsenal face probably their biggest test of the season so far as they host Liverpool in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners have already beaten top-four rivals Tottenham Hotspur and lost away at Manchester United so far this campaign. But for the first time, they are facing one of last season’s title contenders, knowing a victory will take them back to the top of the table following Manchester City’s win over Southampton.

Despite the fact that Jurgen Klopp’s side have not had the best of starts to the campaign, Sunday’s game will not be a straightforward one for Arsenal by any means as manager Mikel Arteta will be all too wary of the threat the Reds pose, especially in attack with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota available for selection.

With that in mind, it’s absolutely essential that the Spaniard gets his team selection for the game spot on. There could be one major decision for the Gunners manager to make, with Oleksandr Zinchenko emerging as a doubt after missing the midweek win over Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League.

Despite a positive result, there weren’t too many displays that I think threatened the first team in Thursday night’s win over Bodo/Glimt.

Perhaps the one player who could be brought in is Kieran Tierney, given that Oleksandr Zinchenko was absent from the squad altogether against the Norwegian champions and missed training prior. The Ukrainian’s composure on the ball could be essential to combat Liverpool’s high press, though, so if he’s fit. I’d play him.

Thomas Partey will be equally important to Arsenal’s ability to get a result of any kind, and alongside Granit Xhaka and Martin Odegaard, he will be hopeful of providing the technical quality that can outdo Liverpool’s more functional midfield.

Up front I’d make no changes to the front three, who are yet to be kept quiet by any defence in the Premier League this season. Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka have all been amazing so far, and they’ll need to be at their best yet again if Arsenal are to claim victory on Sunday.

Considering when you look at both Arsenal and Liverpool ahead of this fixture less than seven months on, the Gunners might make just two changes to the team that lost 2-0 at the Emirates. William Saliba and Gabriel Jesus are coming in to replace both Cedric Soares and Alexandre Lacazette.

Now, these are two significant swaps, but in the context of numbers, it is inspiring how just a couple of adjustments can make a huge impact. That said, the same can be seen of Liverpool after they introduced Alisson and Virgil van Dijk to the side, taking them to a Champions League victory.

Arsenal enter a match against Liverpool as favourites for some but underdogs still with others. The match will hopefully provide the answer as an in-form Arsenal face the Reds after one of their poorest starts to a season for some time.

The return of Kieran Tierney is key for me. Oleksandr Zinchenko might be injured, which somewhat takes away the decision for Mikel Arteta, although having the more defensively astute Scot to tackle Trent Alexander-Arnold’s runs might perhaps be the better option anyway.