Liverpool Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal: Isak and Barcola Return, Gakpo Decision Time
Liverpool are hoping their hot streak of form continues into Sunday’s showdown with reigning Premier League champions Arsenal at Anfield.
Including the penalty shootout triumph over Chelsea midweek, the Reds have now seven of their last eight matches across all competitions. There are encouraging signs they’re finding their feet under Andoni Iraola, who won half of his six matches against Arsenal as Bournemouth boss.
After making wholesale changes to his starting lineup in the Carabao Cup, the Spaniard will restore some glitzy names to his starting XI. The club’s band of expensive attackers will make comebacks, but injuries will once again prevent Iraola from naming his strongest team.
Here’s how Liverpool could line up this weekend.
Liverpool Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal
GK: Alisson—Only Tottenham Hotspur (18) have been more regular rivals for Alisson than Arsenal (17) across his illustrious career. He averages exactly one goal conceded per match with the champions, with seven clean sheets in this fixture—two of which came last season.
RB: Ronald Araújo—Following Araújo’s stunning performance against Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend, the Barcelona loanee delivered another stellar display in the hard-fought victory over Chelsea. Liverpool fans are really starting to fall for the Uruguayan.
CB: Jérémy Jacquet—Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyökeres pose vastly different threats as Arsenal’s leading man, but one would fancy Jacquet to deliver against either considering his excellent start to life in England.
CB: Virgil van Dijk—Liverpool remain reliant on the 35-year-old’s consistency and leadership at the back, and that’s more important than ever against Mikel Arteta’s wily Gunners.
LB: Milos Kerkez—Having enjoyed a complete rest midweek, Kerkez will be pleased by the guaranteed absences of Bukayo Saka and Max Dowman down Arsenal’s right wing.
CM: Ryan Gravenberch—Trey Nyoni really should start purely based on form, especially after Gravenberch’s horror performance on Wednesday. But the Dutchman is still expected to feature in the double pivotwith Dominik Szoboszlai’s availability uncertain, and he will make his 150th Liverpool appearance in the process.
Pick Your Liverpool XI!
CM: Alexis Mac Allister—The Argentine has been Liverpool’s best midfielder this season. They desperately need him to continue his resurgence against Declan Rice, Martin Ødegaard and Co.
RW: Bradley Barcola—The last time Barcola played Arsenal, he won the Champions League final with Paris Saint-Germain. That was his third consecutive victory against the north London giants, although he’s never scored against them.
AM: Florian Wirtz—Wirtz is still not delivering the consistency Liverpool require from such an expensive signing, but there have been improvements in his performance levels over recent weeks.
LW: Cody Gakpo—The Dutchman will be frustrated this match isn’t in the Carabao Cup. By scoring against Chelsea in the fourth round, he now boasts 11 goals in 14 appearances in England’s secondary cup competition.
ST: Alexander Isak—Isak has scored in three successive Premier League matches for the first time as a Liverpool player. The Swede’s six goals were only bettered by Erling Haaland (9) across the opening eight gameweeks.
