Arsenal vs Liverpool: Early Title Decider? Matchweek 9 Preview And Prediction
The Premier League showdown between Arsenal and Liverpool promises to be a high-stakes affair this Sunday. Arsenal will look to rebound after a shock loss to Bournemouth, while Liverpool aim to strengthen their position at the top of the table.
The Gunners find themselves slightly adrift of the leaders heading into the weekend, sitting four points behind the early pacesetters after a 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth last time out. That defeat meant Arsenal failed to hit the landmark of 2,000 top-flight league wins, something they could achieve this weekend with victory.
It was just the second league defeat Mikel Arteta’s side suffered in 2024; before their trip to Bournemouth, Arsenal had lost just one of their first 25 matches in the competition this calendar year (21 wins, 3 draws).
Arne Slot is the first manager to win as many as 11 of his first 12 games in charge across all competitions in English top-flight history. Their away form in particular has been stellar – they are just the seventh top-flight side to win each of their opening six away games across all competitions in a season, following their 1-0 victory over RB Leipzig on Wednesday.
Slot passed what was seen as his first ‘real’ Premier League test against Chelsea last weekend with a 2-1 win at Anfield, and if Liverpool win this game, it will be their second-best-ever start to a campaign in the competition after nine games (24 points – currently on 21).
In terms of team news, as mentioned, Arsenal will be missing Saliba and Calafiori, while Jurriën Timber, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Martin Ødegaard and Saka could all also be absent from Arteta’s matchday squad.
Liverpool will also be missing some key players, though, with Alisson sidelined for the next few weeks, while Diogo Jota was absent from the midweek win in Leipzig after suffering bruising to his torso against Chelsea last weekend. Harvey Elliott remains out, while Slot suggested on Friday that Federico Chiesa and Conor Bradley will be “touch and go” to be available.
Arsenal vs Liverpool Head-to-Head
Despite facing the league leaders, Arsenal should feel fairly confident, having won their last two Premier League home games against Liverpool, last having a longer such run between 2004 and 2006 (four consecutive wins).
The Gunners are unbeaten in their last four Premier League games against Liverpool (2 wins, 2 draws), taking more points from these four games (8) than they had in their previous 14 against the Reds (7 – 1 win, 4 draws, 9 defeats).
Liverpool’s last win against Arsenal in the top-flight did come at the Emirates, with a 2-0 victory in March 2022., though they did also win by the same score in north London in the FA Cup third round last season.
And the Reds have not failed to score in any of their last 17 Premier League meetings with Arsenal since a 0-0 draw in August 2015.
PREDICTION: OVER 1.5 @1.26
Manchester City vs Southampton: OVER 1.5 @1.26
Chelsea vs Newcastle United: 1 DNB @1.36
Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur: AWAY WIN OR DRAW @1.27
West Ham United vs Manchester United: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE @1.45
SPANISH LA LIGA
Real Madrid vs Barcelona: OVER 2.5 @1.41
Real Valladolid vs Villarreal: UNDER 4.5 @1.20
Real Betis vs Atletico Madrid: UNDER 3.5 @1.20
Mallorca vs Athletic Bilbao: UNDER 2.5 @1.51
GERMAN BUNDESLIGA
Augsburg vs Borussia Dortmund: OVER 2.5 @1.44
RB Leipzig vs Freiburg: HOME DRAW NO BET @1.31
Werder Bremen vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen: OVER 2.5 @1.40
VfL Bochum vs Bayern Munich: OVER 2.5 @1.20
