Liverpool vs Arsenal: Five Storylines That Could Shape a Heavyweight Anfield Showdown

Arsenal’s midweek exit from the EFL Cup at the hands of fourth-tier Fleetwood Town ranks among the competition’s biggest recent shocks. Away from that embarrassment, though, their campaign has gone smoothly. The only stain on their Premier League title defence is a 3-0 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion, and since that setback they have beaten Leeds United, Nottingham Forest and Everton to make it seven wins from eight league matches.

Sunday’s trip to Anfield may be their sternest examination yet. Liverpool appear to be settling under Andoni Iraola. They lost 3-0 at home to Manchester City recently, but three of their last four league games brought convincing wins over Bournemouth, Brentford and Brighton. On Wednesday they also reached the League Cup quarter-finals, edging Chelsea on penalties after a 1-1 draw. With momentum on their side and a charged crowd expected, here are five subplots to watch in this Liverpool vs Arsenal contest.

1. A Fixture of Stubborn Records

Between two of Europe’s strongest sides in recent seasons, tight games are the norm. Liverpool have won only one of their last eight league meetings with Arsenal (five draws, two defeats), that being last season’s 1-0 home victory courtesy of a stunning Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick. Arsenal, meanwhile, have gone 13 league visits to Anfield without a win (five draws, eight defeats) since a 2-0 success in 2012-13. A 14th would be unprecedented in their league history. They also endured 13 between 1975-76 and 1987-88, a sequence ended by the famous 2-0 title-clinching win on the last day of 1988-89.

There is a milestone at stake too. Arsenal are one victory short of 300 Premier League away wins, which would make them only the second club to get there after Manchester United (328). Yet Anfield is where their record is poorest. Of all grounds they have visited at least ten times, none gives them a lower win rate than Liverpool’s, with six wins in 34 trips (18%).

Iraola arrives having lost just two of 27 Premier League matches in 2026 (12 wins, 13 draws). One was the City game, in which his team were arguably superior until Ryan Gravenberch’s debatable red card changed everything. The other was at home to Arsenal in January, when he was still in charge of Bournemouth. His 7% defeat rate is the lowest for any manager in a calendar year (minimum 20 games) since Jürgen Klopp lost one of 37 in 2019 (3%). Fellow Basque Mikel Arteta would love to nudge that figure upward. Something has to give, unless it ends level.

2. Where Will Arsenal’s Goals Come From?

Criticising Arsenal is difficult. They won the league last season and came within a penalty shootout of adding the Champions League. Even so, they do not look quite as threatening in attack as a leading side usually does. Their superb defence means one goal often suffices, but is that sustainable? Despite seven wins in eight, four teams have outscored them in the Premier League this term (13 goals), and only eight sides have attempted fewer shots (107).

Liverpool present a tough opponent here. They have kept four clean sheets in their last six league games, more than anybody since the start of September. Last season they were the only team to keep Arsenal scoreless in either league meeting (1-0 at Anfield, 0-0 at the Emirates). Only three clubs have conceded fewer than Liverpool’s eight this season, and they would share the best record with Arsenal were it not for the three shipped after going down to ten men against City. Saying they would have conceded less without the goals they conceded is a stretch, admittedly, but with eleven players, Liverpool look solid.

Furthermore, only Arsenal (6.5) have a lower expected goals on target (xGOT) against figure than Liverpool (7.8). Judging by shot placement, these two have faced the least dangerous efforts in the division. We still hope for fireworks.

3. Can Liverpool’s Star Forwards Break the Best Defence?

Arsenal’s rearguard is formidable. Even without the injured William Saliba, Ezri Konsa has deputised admirably, and the champions again lead in most defensive measures. They share the most clean sheets in 2026-27 (5), have faced the fewest shots on target (24), conceded the lowest xG (6.2) and allowed the fewest big chances (11). In calendar-year 2026 they have kept clean sheets in 56% of league games (15 of 27), their third-best annual rate behind 1998 (61%) and 1903 (59%).

It took a thunderbolt from Szoboszlai to separate the sides last year, and Iraola hopes his lavishly assembled attack can manage it again. The signs are good. After heavy criticism, Florian Wirtz has contributed to three goals in four games (one goal, two assists), and his shot against Brighton forced the own goal that put Liverpool ahead last weekend. Bradley Barcola set up Alexander Isak’s second goal and has five goal involvements in four matches (three goals, two assists).

Isak is the standout. The Swede has scored six in his last six league games, two-thirds of Liverpool’s goals in that period (6 of 9). His rate of one goal every 95 minutes is the best of any player to score under Iraola as a manager in Europe’s big five leagues. Beating Arsenal’s defence and goalkeeper is another challenge, though, and Liverpool will need to be at their sharpest.

4. The Midfield Battle

Calling midfield decisive is a cliché, but only because it is so often accurate. Arsenal’s engine room is the envy of the league, and everyone is in form. Declan Rice (91) and Martin Odegaard (90) lead the Premier League for line-breaking passes ending in the final third, with no one else above 77 (Granit Xhaka).

Bruno Guimaraes has also adapted smoothly, scoring winners off the bench against Sunderland and Leeds United. He did miss the key penalty against Fleetwood on Tuesday, but his start in north London has been mostly solid.

Liverpool’s midfield has looked less convincing lately. It was a concern last season, with Alexis Mac Allister and Gravenberch both heavily criticised. Mac Allister has bounced back, building on a good World Cup with Argentina and rediscovering his best under Iraola; he is one of just three players to feature in all 12 of Liverpool’s games. Gravenberch has been less consistent, though he was superb against City before his harsh dismissal. With Szoboszlai doubtful after a hamstring injury at Brentford, Mac Allister and Gravenberch seem likely to start behind Wirtz again. Whether they can outdo Rice and Odegaard could go a long way toward settling this.

5. Will Set-Pieces Matter?

An Arsenal preview without set-pieces would feel strange. They were the talking point last season, when the Gunners scored 19 goals from corners, more than any side in a single Premier League campaign. Until last weekend they had none in 2026-27, but Konsa’s early header against Everton ended that drought, and it remains a route to victory for Arteta’s team.

Iraola did well to take Bournemouth to sixth last season, yet his side struggled to defend dead balls, conceding 20 goals from corners, free-kicks and throw-ins, level with Liverpool and Crystal Palace for the most in 2025-26. This term, however, his Liverpool and Brentford are the only teams without a non-penalty set-piece goal conceded.

Arsenal’s corner xG this season is 3.4, so with only Konsa’s goal to show, their luck could soon turn. But with Virgil van Dijk, Jeremy Jacquet and Ronald Araujo, Liverpool are well equipped. Only Leeds’ Tarik Muharemovic (40) has made more headed clearances than Van Dijk (38) in the league this term.

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