Preview: What to expect when Arsenal visit Liverpool

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah vies for the ball during the match against Arsenal

Liverpool vs Arsenal remains one of the Premier League's more glamorous offerings, and the two English top-flight behemoths renew their rivalry in another Super Sunday battle.

Both teams have won their opening two matches (Spurs0are the only other team to do so), and will be looking to make it a perfect hat-trick at Anfield.

The last time the North Londoners played at the famous old stadium, they emerged with a creditable 2-2 draw after being 2-0 down with 21 minutes played.

That result was a little misleading, however, given that the Reds had all but wrapped up the title by then.

Of more significance may be the Gunners' general form at Anfield, a ground where they had drawn in the previous three games in all competitions and lost the six before that.0

Liverpool vs Arsenal - Recent H2H results

Indeed, not since September 2nd, 2012 - when Mikel Arteta was playing for Arsenal - have they come away with all three points from a Premier League fixture.

With Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz all expected to be missing from Mikel Arteta's starting line-up, Arsenal supporters could be forgiven for throwing in the towel before a ball has been kicked.0

However, the signings of Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke mean that the Gunners have significant strength in depth this time around.

Not to mention that 33 goals scored from corners by Arsenal since the start of the 2023/24 campaign is more than any other team in Europe's top five leagues and could be a potent weapon.

Something else in the visitors' favour is that Liverpool are winless in the last six Premier League matches against Arsenal (D4, L2).

Undoubtedly on both managers' minds will therefore be the Reds losing two-goal leads in both of their 2025/26 league games so far, only for them to come back and win both against Bournemouth (4-2) and Newcastle (3-2).

In Hugo Ekitike, the Reds have one of the bargains of the season so far, with three goals in his first three Liverpool appearances, and he'll be expected to lead the line again as the hosts go in search of at least a point to keep their 18-match unbeaten streak at home going.

Against a miserly Arsenal defence - the Gunners haven't conceded a league goal this season - Ekitike may find things a little more difficult, however.

Mo Salah has already scored 11 times against the North Londoners, and only Harry Kane (14) and Wayne Rooney (12) have ever scored more times against them.

Mo Salah xG for Liverpool in the Premier League 2024/25

Mikel Arteta's side are on an unbeaten streak of their own and, having not been defeated away from the Emirates Stadium in the last 15 matches, will be keen for that run to continue.

With another new signing, Martin Zubimendi, shoring up Arsenal's midfield, allowing Declan Rice to operate in the spaces just behind Gyokeres, the visitors are as well-equipped as they've ever been in an attacking sense to take the game to their hosts.

Hosts who will need to consider if allowing Conor Bradley - in place of the injured Jeremie Frimpong - and Milos Kerkez to bomb forward will be the most opportune way of working against a team that have shown their excellence at getting in behind full-backs.

In that respect, we could see a more measured Liverpool performance and one in which attacking verve is substituted with defensive solidity and a strong midfield that will include Alexis Mac Allister after he was passed fit for the game.

It's the earliest that the two top teams from the previous season have met since 2017/18, so whilst the result will almost be incidental at such an early stage of proceedings, it should at least provide some sort of guideline as to how well-equipped both teams are for fixtures against those teams in and around them.

Although Alexander Isak is expected to sign for the Reds now that Newcastle have virtually sealed a move for his replacement - Stuttgart's Nick Woltemade - this match is almost certain to come too quickly for the Swedish international to make his debut in opposition to his international strike partner Gyokeres.

Even without Isak, Liverpool's record under Arne Slot is quite incredible.

They have scored in 39 of 40 Premier League matches (98%), which is the highest percentage of games scored in for a manager that's taken charge of 15 or more games in the competition’s history.

With 93 league goals scored under the Dutchman since the start of last season, that's 17 more than any other Premier League side in the same time frame.

The last time that Liverpool failed to score in the English top-flight was against Nottingham Forest at Anfield back in September 2024, so the Gunners defence will certainly have their work cut out to keep them at bay in this one.

Arsenal do hold the record for the longest Premier League scoring streak (55 games between 2001 and 2002), whilst north London rivals Tottenham are next (39 games between 2023 and 2024). Liverpool are currently at 36 consecutive top-flight games scored in - and counting.0

Last time out, Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha became only the second 16-year-old to score a winning goal in a Premier League match after Wayne Rooney's cracker in October 2002 for Everton vs Arsenal.

It was the Reds' 46th last-minute winner of the competition, more than any other team, and if there's still all to play for on Sunday with time running out, don't bet against the home side doing their utmost to either save the game or win it.

Follow the match with Flashscore here.

Jason Pettigrove