Liverpool hosts Arsenal at Anfield for one more time in EFL Cup fourth round game on Thursday night.
Match Timing: Sep 29, 12:30 AM
Team Preview
The rivalry of Liverpool-Arsenal takes place for the 4th time in the last three months and both sides are ready to take place in the quarterfinals of EFL Cup. Arsenal defeated Liverpool back in July at Premier League and took the community shield in the penalty shoot out last month. Four days back, Liverpool and Arsenal faced each other at Anfield in Premier League 2020-21 ties and Liverpool ran out 3-1 winners. The Gunners defeated Leicester City in EFL Cup 2-0 to march into the round-of-16. In Premier League, they edged past Fulham 3-0 and West Ham 2-1, before losing to Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp's side had a solid campaign in Premier League, defeating Leeds, Chelsea and Arsenal to add 9 points from three games. In EFL Cup ties, they outclassed Lincoln City 7-2 at LNER Stadium to reach in the 4th round. Liverpool has won 16 out of their previous 18 outings at home across all competitions.
Arteta is not seeing EFL Cup as their priority but the Spaniard would definitely try to take the sweep of English domestic cups after winning FA Cup and Community Shield. The Gunners have won EFL Cup twice in their club history and the last success occurred in 1992-93. If Liverpool wins tonight, they would enter into the quarterfinals of the competition for the fourth time in the previous five seasons.
Team News & Possible Lineups
Liverpool
Thiago Alcantara who supposed to make debut for Liverpool tested positive for COVID-19. Diogo Jota may start after scoring coming off the bench in the previous game. Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino are expected to get the nod in playing XI. Liverpool will be without the services of captain Jordan Henderson, while Joel Matip and midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain due to injury.
Lineup: Adrian; N Williams, Gomez, Van den Berg, Tsimikas; Jones, Grujic, Shaqiri; Elliott, Minamino, Origi
All competitions form: W W W W
Arsenal
Shkodran Mustafi, Calum Chambers, Cedric Soares and Sokratis Papastathopoulos are the absentee in Thursday’s encounter. Runar Alex Runarsson might take the gloves for Arsenal and make the debut for Arteta. In defence, Arsenal will be without Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe.
Lineup: Runarsson; Saliba, Gabriel, Kolasinac; Cedric, Willock, Ceballos, Saka; Pepe, Nketiah, Nelson
All competitions form: W W W L
Key Players
Liverpool
Diogo Jota
1 goal in Premier League 2020-21
Takumi Minamino
2 goals and 1 assist in Premier League 2020-21
Arsenal
Nketiah
2 goals in Premier League and EFL CUP 2020-21
Nicolas Pepe
1 goal and 2 assists in FA Cup 2019-20
