MatchThe opposition lowdown: Arsenal

The view from Arsenal

James Benge, CBS Soccer Correspondent

On Arsenal’s season so far…

This season has been a little bit harder to get a handle on, perhaps more like the making of a difficult second album for this youthful squad, who took the world by storm 12 months ago. What Arsenal did in their title challenge last season was dramatically change expectations, it is now the norm among the fanbase that this is a team that should be competing with Liverpool and Manchester City at the top of the table. They are but even so there is nothing like the same delirium of a year ago, partly because it’s just impossible to bottle lightning twice but also because the football has become a little more conservative.

It doesn’t help either that Arsenal went out of both cup competitions in disappointing fashion, even if they are through to the last 16 of the Champions League and well placed in the league going into Sunday’s game. All in all, it has been a reasonably encouraging campaign for Arsenal, but expectations keep rising. Sooner or later there are going to have to be trophies.

On Arsenal’s key players…

At just 22 years of age, William Saliba is firmly established as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League, arguably the world, and it is hard to imagine Arsenal working anywhere near as well without him. He is the most vital cog because his speed, authority and composure allow him to shut down any transition opportunities when opponents look to spring out of Arsenal’s final third.

Without him Arteta’s side were a shadow of themselves last season but with Declan Rice ahead of Saliba they have become one of the best defences in Europe. The England international is an expert at reading the game, reacting to opposition counters, and making late darts into space. His character and energy have been no less valuable to the Arsenal dressing room.

Further forward, Bukayo Saka goes from strength to strength. Arsenal’s leading scorer and assist provider in the Premier League gets double- or triple-teamed on a weekly basis but still finds a way to contribute, I can’t wait to see how he gets on against whoever is at left-back for Liverpool.

On Mikel Arteta’s style of play…

As the presence of two defensive players in the answer above might indicate, Arsenal have become a somewhat more conservative side than the one that seemed intent on winning every game 3-2 last season. Their possessions last longer, require more passes and progress up the pitch at one of the slowest rates in the league. Some of that might be because they are facing many more low blocks but a lot of it is a function of Mikel Arteta’s desire to protect against the counter-attacks that ripped Arsenal apart late last season.

When Arsenal have the ball in the final third, they are generally going to look to beat you with overloads in wide areas, trusting their right side in particular to overwhelm the opposition with neat interplay before a cutback. The pressure definitely doesn’t ease if you concede a dead ball, though. Arsenal have a deep playbook of set-pieces to choose from and an awful lot of imposing targets, including Gabriel, Saliba and Kai Havertz. There are plenty of ways for them to win a game.

On Arsenal’s expected formation…

I would be stunned if Arteta deviated from his usual system, even against an opponent as in-form as Liverpool. That means a 4-3-3 with an inverting left-back, Martin Odegaard pulling the strings in midfield and the front three that can interchange so dangerously in its best moments.

The big question is who joins Rice and Odegaard in midfield. Since Granit Xhaka left it has been something of a problem position even with talented options including Havertz and Emile Smith Rowe. For this game I suspect Arteta will try the same approach he used in the FA Cup third-round tie with Jorginho bringing experience and ball security to the team.

Predicted XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Jorginho, Odegaard, Rice; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.

Previous meetings

The Reds and the Gunners have already faced off on two occasions in recent months.

First, the two teams played out a 1-1 draw at Anfield ahead of Christmas, before Liverpool travelled to the capital in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup.

Mohamed Salah netted an equaliser in the league fixture in L4, while it was an own goal after a Trent Alexander-Arnold free-kick and a Luis Diaz strike that earned Jürgen Klopp’s charges a 2-0 win in the cup four weeks ago.

What they said

Arsenal head coach Arteta

“What we need to do is play the way we played in the last two games against them, and be more efficient in the areas that are going to decide the game.

“[I’m] very excited, it’s always great to prepare a game against Liverpool; how good they are, they dominate every aspect of the game.

“We play at home, and what I sense is a real sense of positivity and enthusiasm around the place.”