Liverpool 0-0 Arsenal

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League match stream, latest team news, lineups, TV, prediction

Title rivals contest huge early season clash at Anfield, where Gunners have not won in the top-flight for 13 years

Head to head: Arne Slot and Mikel Arteta pit their wits as Liverpool face Arsenal at Anfield

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE

A blockbuster showdown between likely title rivals headlines the early Premier League season slate at Anfield this afternoon. Arsenal head to Merseyside full of confidence having started their latest campaign with victory at Manchester United and a drubbing of newly-promoted Leeds that saw summer signing Viktor Gyokeres off the mark, though the injuries are already piling up for Mikel Arteta with Bukayo Saka sidelined again and captain Martin Odegaard battling to be fit.

Liverpool have made an eventful start to their championship defence, with goals not a problem but defensive frailties leading to cause for concern. The Reds withstood a late Bournemouth fightback to win 4-2 on opening night before teenage sensation Rio Ngumoha sealed victory at Newcastle with a dramatic last-gasp effort, with Arne Slot now eager to see swift improvements at the back.

Alexis Mac Allister should return for the Reds today in a key midfield boost, with Conor Bradley and Virgil van Dijk also fit. Liverpool are in pursuit of both Alexander Isak and Marc Guehi before the transfer deadline, while Arsenal have agreed a deal to sign Piero Hincapie. Follow Liverpool vs Arsenal live below, with expert analysis from Simon Collings at Anfield.

Liverpool vs Arsenal latest news

Kick-off time: 4.30pm BST | Anfield

Liverpool team news: Mac Allister should return

Arsenal team news: Odegaard status uncertain

Alex Mac Allister, as expected, is with the Liverpool squad

The bookies do not agree with our prediction of an Arsenal win, but agree it will be a tight game.

Liverpool: 5/4

Draw: 21/10

Arsenal: 17/10

Liverpool have the Premier League trophy on show today. Both teams will hope those red tassels remain this time next year.

Arteta on Liverpool's 'title favourites' tag

Mikel Arteta says it is clear Liverpool are title favourites as Premier League champions, but that does not mean they will retain their crown.

The Gunners finished runners-up to the Reds last season, 10 points behind Arne Slot's side.

And when asked if Liverpool are the favourites to retain their crown, Arteta concluded: "The favourite is always the one that won the previous year.

"Somebody has to come and take that crown away from them so that is what we will try to do. The aim is to be better than them."

Slot has plan for Gyokeres

Arne Slot expects to face an Arsenal side similar in style to the ones Liverpool came up against last season, but admits there might be one change his players need to be aware of after the signing of Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting.

"The number nine they have now (Gyokeres) is different to (Kai) Havertz for example. That is more a false nine you could say, where I think Gyokeres is more a target man," the Liverool manager told reporters.

"So that's maybe a small difference, where we have to know he maybe makes more runs in behind than the other number nines did. But in general, I see a lot of similarities between last season and this season with the style of play they have, and I think it's the same with us."

Odegaard has been pictured with the Arsenal squad, though no clarity on if that means the captain is in the matchday squad.

Liverpool vs Arsenal prediction

This match will provide fans and pundits a fascinating early insight into the Premier League title race.

Arteta’s Arsenal look a more complete side than ever following some astute summer recruitment, but the same is of course true of Slot’s Liverpool.

Whatever way you cut it, there is a very good chance that these two sides finish the season sitting first and second respectively again.

Both have already exhibited well-oiled attacks, meaning the result could well be decided by the top-performing defence, and Liverpool’s has already proven shaky.

They are particularly vulnerable on the counter-attack, meaning Arsenal’s pace up top could pose a big problem.

Arsenal to win, 2-1.

Confirmed line-ups due at 3.15pm BST.

Liverpool XI (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike

Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Gyokeres, Martinelli

Early Arsenal team news

Arsenal are dealing with several injury problems.

Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are all definitely sidelined due to injury, but manager Mikel Arteta is also sweating over the fitness of four more members of his first-team squad.

Ben White, Christian Norgaard, Leandro Trossard and captain Martin Odegaard are all doubts for the match against Liverpool, though reports on social media on Saturday night claimed that the latter duo had travelled.

Eberechi Eze is available to make his Arsenal debut on Merseyside after training all week with his new team-mates following a £67.5million move from Crystal Palace last week.

Noni Madueke is primed to start for the second game in a row in the absence of Saka, but this time on the right

Early Liverpool team news

Liverpool should get a key injury boost when they host Arsenal in a huge Premier League showdown today.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Slot confirmed that captain Virgil van Dijk is fit to face Arsenal after being on the receiving end of a nasty tackle that resulted in Anthony Gordon being sent off.

Furthermore, the Dutchman confirmed there were no fresh fitness worries with Conor Bradley and Alexis Mac Allister - who missed the win over Newcastle - taking part in training this week.ac Allister. With summer signing Jeremie Frimpong sidelined, there is an opening at right-back.

Dominik Szoboszlai got the nod there at St James’ Park and played well enough to retain his place. That said, Mac Allister is likely to replace Curtis Jones in midfield, thus reuniting with Ryan Gravenberch.

Liverpool’s front three is expected to remain unchanged for the fourth game in a row as Hugo Ekitike leads the line as he goes in search of keeping up his goal-a-game record.