RED ALERT
GUNNERS MUST BE WARY OF WOUNDED CHAMPIONS
Good afternoon, LEGION. How are we all feeling about tomorrow? Nervous? Yeah, me too.
We're on a brilliant run, and with tomorrow's opponents, Liverpool struggling, and City dropping points again late vs Chelsea last weekend, this feels like a significant chance to further strengthen our grip at the top.
This year, we are setting the pace rather than chasing. So far, it has suited us.
Read on for everything you need to know before we turn The Carpet into a bear pit tomorrow night.
VITAL STATISTICS
OPPONENT - Liverpool FC
COMPETITION - Premier League
VENUE - The Carpet
KICK OFF - Thursday, January 8th 2026, 8pm.
THE MOMENTUM METER (LEAGUE ONLY)
ARSENAL - W-W-W-W-W. - League Position 1st - 48pts.
LIVERPOOL - W-W-W-D-D - League Position 4th - 34pts.
Our form at The Carpet remains almost perfect, with the City draw still our only blemish in ten. We have the best home record in the league, amassing 28 points from 30. We have scored 26 (joint best) and conceded just 5 (best).
Liverpool, on the road, sits seventh in the away form table. They have been bang average all season long, with four wins, two draws, and four defeats, and, unbelievably for them, a goal differential of minus one (17 for 18 against).
This is a complete drop-off from their title-winning season last year, when they led the league in away form, suffering only three defeats on the road all season and scoring eight more than anyone else.
They are, however, undefeated in their last eight league outings since Forest smashed them 3-0 at Anfield in late November.
A victory for us would put 17 points between the two sides. That's not us putting them in our rear view mirror, that's us putting them out of sight.
THE ARCHIVES
In our last meeting at Anfield on match day three, they punished us for showing them way too much respect. As you all know, we fell to a late worldie free-kick from Szoboslai.
Worth noting, we went into that game minus Odegaard and Saka, and lost Saliba after five minutes. Yes, we have been dealing with injuries pretty much ALL season (again).
At home, we have historically struggled in this fixture. Since the Premier League's inception, we have won 12, drawn 12, and lost 9. More recently, since 20/21, we have won 2, drawn 1, and lost 4.
Last season was a thrilling 2-2 draw, with us leading twice through Saka and Merino before being pegged back by VVD, and then again by Mo Salah, who scored a late equaliser. A draw on the day, from memory, was a fair result.
FUN FACTS
1 - This fixture has seen more hat-tricks scored than any other in Premier League history, with six.
2 - Gabriel Martinelli holds the record for Arsenal's quickest goal in this fixture, scoring after just 58 seconds in 2022.
3 - Bukayo Saka will be the first Arsenal player to score in four consecutive home league games against Liverpool. He has scored four goals in total across the three previous matchups.
KEY MATCHUP
I'm going for another battle in the wide area with Saka vs Kerkez.
Kerkez CANNOT defend. He got terrorised by Madueke at Anfield, and if Noni had Bukayo's end product, we would have won that game. I discussed this in my preview for the away game, and nothing this season has changed my mind.
The stats as well as the eye test don't lie. Kerkez is in the 42nd percentile for tackles attempted, the 20th percentile for tackles won, the 25th percentile for dribblers tackled, the 44th percentile for blocks and the 53rd percentile for interceptions. It goes on and on.
Flip him going the other way, and he's a different player. 23 shot creating actions in 19 league games., progressive passes 78th percentile, progressive carries 72nd percentile.
The battle to push the other man back could be a key factor in winning this game.
Plus, the chance for Bukayo to make a bit of history never hurt anyone as an incentive.
DANGER MAN
I'm going to go a bit controversial here and choose Florian Wirtz.
Want an unpopular take of the day? I still think he will be a tremendous signing for Liverpool.
As I mentioned in the Anfield preview, I would have taken him in a heartbeat. I have kept an eye on him since his breakthrough at Leverkusen, and if it weren't for his serious ACL injury, which kept him out for 10 months, I think he might have moved to a new club sooner.
At 22 years of age, you can't knock a young guy for choosing the more challenging career path. The easy thing would have been to stay in Germany, play for Bayern of the Munchens, and win the league most seasons at a canter.
No, he chose a different path, a different country, a different language and culture both on and off the field. Fair play to the young guy.
As for his on-field performances, yes, they have been below what you would expect for a player of his talent. Forget the £100m+ price tag, that's not on him. What is on him is to perform on the pitch at a high level week in week out, and he has struggled, no doubt about it. I think there is far too much talent for that to last, and over the last few weeks, he has shown signs of life.
As of now, the hard stats like goals and assists aren't there, with only 2 goals and 1 assist in 19 games. What is there is the passing. Off the charts in almost every percentile.
To write him off as a bust and a waste of money is just poor knee-jerk judgment based on his goal and assist output to this point. I see more. I hope he doesn't show it tomorrow night.
If Saka vs Kerkez was one key matchup area, then Timber vs Wirtz definitely falls into the subplot category.
With the German not playing in his promised 10 role but more from the left, it will be Timbers' job to keep him quiet. Our terrific Dutchman has answered the bell at every call so far; tomorrow night could well be his biggest test yet.
THE PHYSIO ROOM
ARSENAL
MISSING - As our squad finally shows signs of healing, Calafiori, Mosquera, and Dowman are the only three definitely out. Calafiori and Mosquera are rumoured to be close to a return, while young Max will be longer.
Not sure what went on with Calafiori and his" bizarre" injury. He's been injury-free pretty much all season, then vanished into thin air for the last few weeks, and nobody knows why. I do wish sometimes there was more transparency from the club, but they must have their reasons.
DOUBTFUL - Listening to Arteta's presser earlier today, it did sound like Kai the Guy was going to be available.
I was going to say it would be good for him to get some minutes in his legs before maybe starting in the FA Cup at the weekend, but the tie with Portsmouth is under serious threat due to the weather. Fitting that game in at a later date will be a scheduling nightmare.
LIVERPOOL
MISSING - The big one for them is obviously Mo Salah away at Afcon. This was followed by the loss of Isak. Both players have given us problems in the past, so we caught a couple of breaks there (sorry, Isak, no pun intended).
Veteran midfielder Endo and young Italian CB Leoni also miss out. Leoni, with the ACL, is long-term.
DOUBTFUL - There are huge question marks over their player of the season so far, Ekitike. He missed Fulham due to a muscle injury, and Slot was vague about his availability.
Their other doubt was my Danger Man, Wirtz, who has been nursing a hamstring injury, but there is no indication he will miss the game.
THE STARTING SHOUT
The team is currently in a good place and is largely picking itself. I have gone for the starting eleven below.
Can I just remind you all that this isn't the starting eleven I want. It's the starting lineup I think Arteta will pick. Good. Now that's all cleared up, have a butchers at the image below.
I've gone with the same eleven as Bournemouth away, with the exception of our two 'first choice' wide players in Saka and Trossard returning. The rest of the team picks itself with only Calafiori's return at left back an obvious future change.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Another massive match gives us a chance to prove that the momentum we have gathered is unstoppable.
They come with a stubborn unbeaten run, chasing top four (or deluded title aspirations) with a point to prove. We have to show them that The Carpet isn't just our home, but our Fortress, an unforgiving cauldron where ten teams so far have looked to triumph, but none have yet succeeded.
With wide men, Saka and Leo well rested, and Declan Rice driving us forward as the heartbeat of the side, the stage is set for a performance that could define our title credentials. We all know the threat that Slot's side possesses, but we also know that, on our turf, we are formidable foes.
Phew. That all sounded a bit 'Braveheart' there for a second. Sorry if I went a bit OTT.
Let's get back to reality.
If we scrape a classic one-nil to the Arsenal, we'd all be delighted, amarite?! What we CANNOT do is show them the same level of respect we did at Anfield. This is a Liverpool side closer to 17th than top spot and should be treated as such.
Cannot wait. LETS FOGGIN' GO!!