David Flower
Dailysports's expert
Liverpool
Arsenal
One of the most anticipated clashes of Premier League Matchweek 36 is set for Sunday at Anfield, where the local side Liverpool will host Arsenal. I’m backing a bet on goals in this showdown, with a strong chance of success.
Match preview
Liverpool suffered their third defeat of the current Premier League campaign last round, falling 1-3 away to Chelsea. It’s worth noting that the team has already secured the Premier League title for the 2024/25 season, so the players took to the pitch lacking their usual motivation and intensity, despite fielding their main starters.
Nevertheless, the club still leads the league in goals scored — the Merseysiders have already netted 81 times. It’s important to highlight that the loss to Chelsea was more of an exception, considering Liverpool’s confident run of form recently. In their last nine Premier League fixtures, Klopp’s men have picked up seven wins, showcasing high-scoring football and a stable attacking game.
Due to a demanding Champions League schedule, the Gunners have slightly eased off in the Premier League, and the results have reflected that. In the previous round, Arsenal suffered a frustrating home defeat to Bournemouth (1-2), despite the Londoners opening the scoring. Notably, in their last five league games, Arsenal have managed just one win — a 4-0 thumping of Ipswich — while drawing three times and losing once.
Mikel Arteta’s side still haven’t secured a Champions League spot for next season, and have allowed their nearest rivals to close the gap to just three points. It’s also worth mentioning that over their last 10 Premier League outings, Arsenal have managed only three wins, picking up points in the other games through five draws and suffering two defeats. In midweek, Arsenal crashed out of the Champions League, losing for the second match running to PSG.
Probable line-ups
- Liverpool: Alisson Becker – Virgil van Dijk, Kostas Tsimikas, Jarell Quansah, Trent Alexander-Arnold – Curtis Jones, Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliott – Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo
- Arsenal: David Raya – Miles Lewis-Skelly, Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Jakub Kiwior – Martin Ødegaard, Thomas Partey, Declan Rice – Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling
Match facts and head-to-head
- The first round meeting between these teams ended 2-2 in London
- The “Over 2.5 goals” bet has landed in the last three matches between these sides
- The “Both teams to score” market has hit in four of the last five encounters
Prediction
Arsenal need a win to secure Champions League football. However, Liverpool are not an easy team to beat at home. I expect goals here and recommend backing “Over 2.5 goals” in the match at odds of 1.76.
