Liverpool vs Arsenal predictions: can Mikel Arteta's stinginess Defensively frustrate the champions?

Liverpool vs Arsenal: Key Stats

• Otta SupercomputerGiving Liverpool the edge, the Reds own a 44.91 TP3T probability of winning.
• However, Liverpool are winless in six Premier League matches against Arsenal (D4 L2).
• Mohamed Salah has scored 11 goals in the Premier League Arsenal, with only Harry Kane (14) and Wayne Rooney (12) scoring more against the Gunners.

Liverpool's top scores in their first two Premier League games are, on the face of it, no surprise. But that would not have taken into account the buttoned-up nature of their 3-2 win over Newcastle United with 10 men on Monday.

That's also before they add this to their league lead for the season, which Liverpool leads 2-0.

Federico Chiesa came on as a substitute against Bournemouth and turned the game around 1st game of Anfield, then Rio de Janeiro N'Guemoja became the fourth youngest scorer in the history of the Premier League to lock that extraordinary victory over Newcastle.

If we're going to make a sweeping statement over two games season, then Liverpool's firepower seems to be getting a fragile defense out of trouble.

Arne Slaughter admits Liverpool underperformed at Newcastle The physicality of the last outing, as well as the physicality and the ferociousness of the defense, there aren't many teams that are better opponents than the next one.

Mikel Arteta under further pressure Arsenal have finished second in the top flight in each of the last three seasons Campaign.

Arsenal brought in Victor Gyökeres to fulfill their need for a striker, while they have former Liverpool target Martin Zubimendi joining the midfield, Nonie Madueke and Eberechi Eze to the attack.

But where Arsenal continue to shine is at the back. They've had two clean sheets, 1-0 defeats to Manchester United and Leeds United Manchester United 5-0, one of only two teams in the Premier League yet to concede a goal this season in the league with Tottenham Hotspur.

So it's going to be a tough defense against a good team on offense in an early battle between two possible title contenders.

In fact, this is the earliest the two teams have met in the Premier League since the 2017-18 season before last season, when Chelsea defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in the 2nd round.

But while Liverpool may not be up to their standards defensively, Sloter's side are as good up front as they have been since the Dutchman took over.

In fact, Liverpool scored in all of their 98%,Premier League matches (39/40) - highest percentage of matches scored by any manager in 15 or more matches Match history.

Since the start of the season, the Reds have scored 93 league goals last season. They scored 17 more than any other team in the top tier at the time and also had the highest xG (86.4).

Liverpool are now tied for the third-longest Premier League scoring streak, having scored in their last 36 games. Only Arsenal (55, between 2001 and 2002) and Tottenham Hotspur (39, between 2023 and 2024) have scored more consecutive goals in a match, and since the last time, Slot's team has failed to score in a top-flight match for close to a full year (1-0 vs. Nottingham Forest, September 14, 2024).

Liverpool played a very cool game against Newcastle, scoring three of their five attempts. In fact, after Liverpool scored their second goal through Hugo Ekitikay in the 46th minute and they didn't try again until Ngumoha curled home in injury time.

In addition to their winning streak, Liverpool love last minute goals. They have won more Premier League matches through last-minute goals than at any other time in the history of the competition, with Ngumoha's strike being the 46th. Arsenal are second in the list with 34.

It was a teenage dream for Ngumoha, who became only the second 16-year-old to score the winning goal in a Premier League game, following Wayne Rooney's Arsenal match in October 2002 for Everton.

He also became the second youngest scorer on his Premier League debut in history (16 years, 361 days) to score against Newcastle, behind only James Vaughan (16 years, 270 days in 2005). The current youngest player to score in his first two games is Federico Macheda in 2009 (17 years and 232 days).

Arsenal's 5-0 defeat to Leeds United did come at a price, with Arteta losing two to injuries to Martin Ödgör and Bucayo Saka.

Saka came off with a hamstring problem before Jack Reyes opened his Arsenal account to make it 3-0 to the Gunners, while Ödgö came off with a shoulder problem in the first half.

Saka looks set to miss up to a month. Meanwhile, Ødegaard, who was selected in the Norwegian roster for the upcoming national team fixtures, although he did look extremely uncomfortable at the time of departure Tian.

Visiting the home of the champions without two of their key attackers would, of course, put more pressure on Arsenal's defense, so the Gunners have been, and it's a good job for Arteta Resolute.

When Saka, who had not made a league appearance for Arsenal since then, broke into the team, the Gunners' goals-per-game average dropped to 1.5 to 2.0, with the England winger on the sidelines, albeit at Mardueke, where they now have a very capable player to take his shoes.

Eze could make his Arsenal debut if Odego is also absent, but the onus could also be on Arsenal to be a bigger set-piece threat.

Since the start of the 2023-24 season, Arsenal have scored 33 corners in the Premier League - more than any other team in Europe in the top five leagues in that time frame. The Gunners have scored from a corner in the last three games - they have never done so in four games before playing consecutive matches.

If Arteta's men can get a win and a clean sheet, it will be the first time Arsenal have won the opening three league games without conceding a goal since the 1924-25 season.

Jurien Wood is likely to play a decisive role in both offense and defense. He's already lent a hand with five goals (two goals, three assists) in his last five Premier League starts.

In the win over Leeds United, the Dutchman became the first since Martin Skrtel to score two goals and assist once in a game March 2014 Liverpool v Cardiff City.

Liverpool vs Arsenal Head to Head

Liverpool are in the league with the Gunners (D4 L2), which is their longest winless streak Arsenal have been in the league since October 2007 to April 2011, when they entered the league eight times in a row between October 2007 and October.

However, Arsenal are winless in their last 12 matches at Anfield, where Arteta has played in the Gunners' midfield since September 2012, when they won 2-0.

Liverpool and Arsenal's last four matches at Anfield All matches have been drawn, including May Arsenal came back from 2-0 down in the following match Liverpool have won the Premier League title.

Meanwhile, Salah has scored 11 Premier League goals against Arsenal, with only Harry Kane (14) and Wayne Rooney (12) scoring more against the Gunners.

One of Salah's goals against the Gunners came for Chelsea, while the other 10 were Liverpool's - only Roberto Firmino has More games against Arsenal just for the Reds (11).

Despite Arsenal's defensive record, you should expect goals in this one.

Only Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur (206) has scored more league goals in all Premier League matches than Arsenal v Liverpool (198). Since the 2015-16 season, it has scored the most goals in all competitions (78 in 20 games).

Liverpool vs Arsenal Predictions

Liverpool are backed as title favorites Arsenal in this head-to-head matchup, with Slaughter's side winning a 44.9% pre-match Opta Supercomputer simulation.

Meanwhile, Arsenal had a 29.71 TP3T chance to earn all three points, and the game closed at 25.41 TP3T for the supercomputer's 10,000 Sims.