Liverpool will welcome Arsenal to Anfield this Thursday for the first leg of their Carabao Cup tie.
Venue: Anfield
Key Statistics
Liverpool have not kept a clean sheet in their last six games.
They have failed to score only once in their last 37 matches.
Arsenal have lost three of their last five away games.
The Gunners have failed to score in four of their last ten away games.
Head to head
Both teams have met 200 times in all competitions. In those 200 games, Arsenal have 69 wins while Liverpool have 75 wins. 56 of the games ended all square.
Latest Performances in all competitions
Liverpool: W-D-L-W-D
Arsenal; L-L-W-W-W
Liverpool
After their FA Cup exertions, Liverpool will turn their attention to the League Cup, where they are desperate to book a place in the finals.
The hosts defeated Shrewsbury 4-1 in the FA Cup last weekend to end a four-game winless run over 90 minutes. The win was secured through a brace from Fabinho and goals from Kaide Gordon and Roberto Firmino after Shrewsbury had taken an early shock lead through Daniel Udoh.
They booked their place in this round by defeating Leicester City in an entertaining game that saw them come from two goals down to win on penalties. They will now look to go two steps closer than they have done in recent times by collecting an important win in this first leg.
Jurgen Klopp’s men were supposed to play this first leg at the Emirates two weeks back. But the game had to be called off after the Merseyside outfit could field a team because of a coronavirus outbreak in their squad, which led to their training camp being shut down.
But most of their first team members and coaching staff are back in training after isolating and so they will back themselves to win this game.
Possible Liverpool starting line-ups
CaoimhínKelleher; Neco Williams, Ibrahim Konate, Joel Matip, Andy Robertson; Tyler Morton, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson; Takumi Minamino, Curtis Jones, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Injured: Thiago Alcantara, Divock Origi,
Unavailable (AFCON): Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Naby Keita
Suspended: None
Arsenal
Arsenal will look to avoid a defeat in the first leg when they travel to Liverpool this Thursday. The Gunners come into this tie on the back of a disappointing 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup.
The result was their second loss on the bounce after a disappointing 2-1 loss to Manchester City in their last PL outing.
Mikel Arteta will be desperate for his side to make amends and show the progress they have made this season. The last time they visited this ground, they were beaten 4-0 by the hosts who have proven to be a formidable opponent in their home stadium.
However, Arsenal’s last League Cup visit to Anfield ended in a penalty shootout win for them and will be a source of encouragement that they can get a result here.
The visitors have enjoyed a smooth run to the semi-finals – scoring 16 goals in four victories against West Bromwich Albion, Wimbledon, Leeds United and most recently Sunderland. With their exit in the FA Cup, they will be desperate to take this opportunity to win their first EFL Cup and a trophy this season since 1993 more seriously.
Possible Arsenal starting line-ups
Aaron Ramsdale; Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White, Gabriel, Kieran Tierney; Albert-Sambi Lokonga, Patino; Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli; Alexandre Lacazette.
Injured: Granit Xhaka
Unavailable (AFCON): Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mohamed Elneny, Thomas Partey and Nicolas Pepe
Suspended: None
Prediction
Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal
