Arsenal v Liverpool LIVE: Premier League team news and line-ups as Darwin Nunez benched

Premier League leaders Liverpool travel to face Arsenal at the Emirates in Sunday’s late kick-off, looking to stretch the gap over the Gunners to eight points.

The Reds beat Chelsea 4-1 in emphatic fashion in midweek, in their first game since Jurgen Klopp announced he would leave the club at the end of the season. Meanwhile, Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 at the City Ground. The Gunners sit in third place on 46 points, with Liverpool on 51. The last meeting between the two in the Premier League ended in a 1-1 draw at Anfield in December, before a January FA Cup tie saw the Reds grab a 2-0 away win.

Follow all the build-up and action below, and check out the latest odds and tips for the match at the Emirates here.

Arsenal v Liverpool

• Kick-off at the Emirates at 4:30pm GMT

• Confirmed Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Jorginho; Saka, Martinelli, Havertz

• Confirmed Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez; Gravenberch, MacAllister, Jones; Jota, Gakpo, Diaz

Arsenal FC – Liverpool FC

Arsenal v Liverpool

16:15 , Chris Wilson

In today’s earlier Premier League games, Manchester United ended with a comfortable 3-0 win at home to West Ham, while Wolves recorded an impressive 4-2 win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, with Matheus Cunha scoring a hat-trick.

Elsewhere, Bournemouth drew 1-1 at home to Nottingham Forest, with Kluivert and Hudson-Odio getting the goals.

Arsenal v Liverpool

16:08 , Chris Wilson

The home side have managed to stay in the title fight despite some wobbly form over Christmas.

The Gunners secured an admirable point at Anfield on 23 December before consecutive losses to West Ham and Fulham. Their most recent two games have been impressive wins though; a 5-0 at home to Crystal Palace and a 2-1 away win versus Nottingham Forest.

Fans will be wary that a loss today would put them eight points behind Liverpool, with Manchester City having two games in hand by the end of the day.

Arsenal v Liverpool

16:00 , Chris Wilson

A reminder that the away side currently sit top of the Premier League on 51 points, five ahead of both Manchester City in second and today’s opponents in third.

A win could see them stretch that lead to eight points ahead of City’s game against Brentford on Monday night. The champions currently have a game in hand on both Arsenal and Liverpool.

Klopp’s men have played well since the German’s announcement that he will be leaving at the end of the season. They most recently won 4-1 at home to Chelsea, just a week after booking their place in the League Cup final against the same side.

Arsenal v Liverpool

15:51 , Chris Wilson

Betting tips

Arsenal begin the game as favourites at 5/4, with a draw priced at 11/4 and an away win offered at 21/10.

The bookies still rank Liverpool as more likely to win the title than the Gunners though, pricing them at 15/8 and 10/1 respectively. Manchester City remain favourites at 4/5.

The Independent’s betting tips say that while these two teams have the best defensive records in the division this season, attacks may well come out on top, with Arsenal recently beating Palace 5-0 and Liverpool winning 4-1 at home to Chelsea.

Arsenal vs Liverpool predictions: Premier League betting tips, odds and free bets

Arsenal v Liverpool team news

15:45 , Chris Wilson

The away side make three changes from the team that beat Chelsea 4-1 in midweek. The Reds welcome back Trent Alexander-Arnold from injury – he replaces Conor Bradley, after the news that the youngster’s father had passed away on Saturday.

Dominik Szoboszlai misses out on the squad, while the pre-match injury worries over Darwin Nunez have perhaps proved correct – he’s on the bench this afternoon. Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo both start in their places.

Arsenal v Liverpool team news

15:40 , Chris Wilson

So Arsenal are indeed without Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian clearly ruled out after being a doubt due to a knee injury.

Emile Smith-Rowe also drops out o the side that beat Nottingham Forest in midweek; the duo are replaced by Kai Havertz and Jorginho respectively.

Arsenal v Liverpool

15:36 , Chris Wilson

LIVERPOOL SUBS: Adrian, Kelleher, Thiago, Nunez, Elliott, Robertson, Clark, McConnell, Quansah.

Liverpool starting line-up

15:35 , Chris Wilson

LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Gomez; Gravenberch, MacAllister, Jones; Jota, Gakpo, Diaz.

Arsenal v Liverpool

15:34 , Chris Wilson

ARSENAL SUBS: Ramsdale, Smith Rowe, Nketiah, Kiwior, Soares, Trossard, Nelson, Elneny, Walters.

Arsenal starting line-up

15:33 , Chris Wilson

ARSENAL (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Jorginho; Saka, Martinelli, Havertz

Liverpool starting line-up v Arsenal

15:30 , Chris Wilson

And here’s how the visitors line up.

Arsenal starting line-up v Liverpool

15:30 , Chris Wilson

Arsenal made it a three-way title fight – but they still end up chasing Liverpool

15:20 , Chris Wilson

It’s a game that’s already building up quite enticingly but Sunday at Arsenal could end up being looked back on as something of a landmark.

It could well be the first direct title-race encounter that doesn’t involve Manchester City in seven years. That isn’t to say Pep Guardiola’s side won’t be involved but more how a potential multiple-front title race is developing. That touches on what this whole match is enlivened by. It is about potential. Both Arsenal and Liverpool look two of the most exciting young teams in Europe, and at least best-placed to step into any opening left by City.

That is, if an opening is left by City, of course. The entire season still feels dependent on whether the champions just put up a run that renders everything else irrelevant.

Arsenal made it a three-way title fight – but still end up chasing Liverpool

Arsenal v Liverpool

15:10 , Chris Wilson

Predictions

Liverpool have played with style following the announcement that Klopp will leave at the end of the season, beating Chelsea 4-1 last time out.

A draw at Anfield was a good result for Arsenal in December, but worrying losses followed at West Ham and Fulham before convincing wins against Crystal Palace and then Nottingham Forest midweek.

Predicted Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Smith-Rowe; Saka, Martinelli, Jesus

Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez; Szoboszlai, MacAllister, Jones; Jota, Nunez, Diaz

The reverse fixture was at times an open affair, though both teams were evenly matched throughout. Expect the same again, with a lively game full of chances at both ends, but both teams likely providing a match for each other. We’ve predicted a draw: Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool.

Is Arsenal v Liverpool on TV today? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch Premier League fixture

15:00 , Chris Wilson

Premier League leaders Liverpool travel to Arsenal in Sunday’s late kick-off.

Liverpool have played with style following the announcement that Klopp will leave at the end of the season, beating Chelsea 4-1 last time out.

The Reds will be wary of the need for a win in London, as they currently lead Arsenal and Manchester City by five points.

A draw at Anfield was a good result for Arsenal in December, but worrying losses followed at West Ham and Fulham before convincing wins against Crystal Palace and then Nottingham Forest midweek.

Is Arsenal v Liverpool on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch

Arsenal v Liverpool: Arsenal must beware Diogo Jota

14:55 , Jack Rathborn

There will come a point – perhaps this summer, perhaps next, perhaps further into the future – when Liverpool’s next manager will face the problem of finding a successor for one of their greatest ever players. Replacing Mohamed Salah may be the impossible task. In the last month, however, Diogo Jota has shown he can deputise adeptly for the Egyptian as he has first been at the Africa Cup of Nations and then injured.

Darwin Nunez can be entertainingly erratic, but Jota is more clinical. He is Liverpool’s most reliable scorer in Salah’s absence; indeed he actually has a higher chance conversion rate than the talisman. He has taken on Salah’s mantle in another respect: Harvey Elliott, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo have all had their minutes on the right flank in recent weeks. Jota, though, has exerted the most impact.

His favourite opponents have tended to be Arsenal. He faces them on Sunday and, in 10 meetings with the Gunners in a Liverpool shirt, Jota has seven goals and two assists. He has been more prolific at the Emirates Stadium, scoring five times there, including a Carabao Cup semi-final brace two years ago.

Arsenal must beware Diogo Jota – a player with a habit of hurting them

Arsenal v Liverpool team news

14:45 , Chris Wilson

Darwin Nunez is a doubt for Liverpool’s trip to Arsenal on Sunday as Jurgen Klopp praised him for playing through the pain barrier in Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Chelsea.

Klopp revealed that the Uruguayan striker left Anfield in a protective boot after an evening when he hit the woodwork four times, including from a penalty, but set up Luis Diaz’s late goal.

Elsewhere in the side, first-choice full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson are both in contention to make a return, though both Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley have been playing well in their absence.

Mohamed Salah remains injured, while summer signing Wataru Endo is on international duty with Japan.

For Arsenal, Takehiro Tomiyasu is unavailable due to being on international duty with Japan, while Thomas Partey has still not recovered from his long-term injury. Gabriel Jesus is fit after a minor knee issue.

Darwin Nunez a doubt for Liverpool’s trip to Arsenal after playing through injury

Arsenal v Liverpool

14:35 , Chris Wilson

Head-to-head

Recent games between the two sides have seen mixed results, with an FA Cup meeting in January ending in a 2-0 away win for the Reds.

A evenly matched contest in the league in December ended in a draw at Anfield, as did the last league meeting before that – a 2-2 draw in April 2023.

Arsenal have only won two of their last 17 league games against Liverpool, with both coming at the Emirates in July 2020 and October 2022. Matches between the two sides in the Premier League have produced a record 186 goals, so fans may be right to expect an entertaining game.

The Emirates played host to a stunning opening Premier League game in 2016, when Liverpool won 4-3 thanks to Sadio Mane. Perhaps the most memorable game between the two was a 4-4 draw at Anfield in 2009, when Andrey Arshavin scored four to dent the Reds’ title hopes.

Arsenal v Liverpool

14:25 , Chris Wilson

Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Arsenal vs Liverpool at the Emirates.

The game kicks off at 4:30pm GMT, with Jurgen Klopp’s side looking to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points.

Mikel Arteta’s team will hope to close the gap to just two points, with both sides wary of the threat of Manchester City, who are currently lurking in second on level points with Arsenal, but with a game in hand.

The Reds have been in fine form of late, beating Chelsea 4-1 in midweek and reaching the Carabao Cup final the week before. The Gunners faltered a little around Christmas, but beat Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest convincingly in their last two games.