Liverpool starting lineup to face Arsenal – predicted

In what could prove to be one of the biggest games of the season, Liverpool travel to Arsenal on Sunday in a clash between title rivals.

The Reds maintained their lead at the top of the Premier League table midweek with an emphatic, Conor Bradley-inspired 4-1 win over Chelsea.

The Gunners, however, should prove more testing opposition for Jurgen Klopp's side.

Mikel Arteta's team are still very much in the title race conversation and sit five points behind Liverpool.

They also held the Reds to a draw at Anfield last month in the reverse fixture, and have only lost at home once in 2023/24.

Still, there is no side in better form than Liverpool right now, who seem determined to ensure Klopp's tenure ends on a high.

With plenty of selection question marks hanging over this one, here's how the Reds could line up at the Emirates Stadium.

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Goalkeeper & Defence

With the returns of Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold to full fitness, Klopp finally has options at the back once again.

After the surprising (and ultimately very correct) call to start Conor Bradley for the midweek win over Chelsea, Liverpool's vice-captain should come back in to the starting XI at right back for this one.

It feels immensely harsh to drop Bradley, who put in a 10/10 display against the Blues and has four goal involvements in just two Premier League games this season, but surely a return for Alexander-Arnold is more likely here. Isn't it?

Still, what an option off the bench.

Elsewhere, Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk will continue their monstrous partnership in the centre, while Joe Gomez may have made himself undroppable at left back.

Alisson, as usual, will continue in goal.

Midfield

Alexis Mac Allister suffered another injury scare on Wednesday night after a collision late on. However, Klopp was quick to play down fears his No. 10 may have suffered another knock. Meanwhile, Liverpool's other deep-lying option, Wataru Endo, still away on international duty.

Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones should continue on either side of Mac Allister in what is fast becoming Klopp's best midfield three.

In the case that the World Cup winner is unfit to play, we could see Jones drop deeper and/or Alexander-Arnold come into midfield — which would also allow the in-form Bradley to continue his run at right back.

Attack

Mohamed Salah continues to step up his recovery but remains a way off returning to the team, while Klopp made the worrying admission that Darwin Nunez is an injury doubt for the trip to north London with a swollen foot.

That means that Cody Gakpo could be given an increasingly rare Premier League start, despite the fact that he hasn't been in the best from recently.

Diogo Jota, who has eight goals in 14 games against Arsenal across his career, is likely to continue on the right of the attack with Luis Diaz — who finished Wednesday night with a goal and an assist — taking up the left-sided spot.

Predicted starting XI to face Arsenal

(4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Gomez; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Jones; Jota, Gakpo, Diaz