Some links in this guide are affiliate links, if you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Here’s our disclosure.
Quick Answer
Liverpool host Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday 1 November at 16:30 London time. Arsenal are without Bukayo Saka and William Saliba, Declan Rice is a doubt after returning to training, and Arsenal have not won a league game at Anfield in 14 years.
Liverpool host Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday 1 November in the game that closes Matchday 9, and it arrives with a very simple title question attached. Arsenal are second on 21 points, level with Manchester City at the top before Saturday's games, and Liverpool are fourth on 15 points, six points behind. A win for Arsenal keeps them in step with City at the summit. A win for Liverpool drags the champions back into the race and cuts the gap to three points, before the international break. A draw helps City most of all, which is why neither manager will be happy with a point if Saturday's leaders have already won.
That is the context, but the team news is what makes this game different from a normal top four meeting. Arsenal are missing their most important wide player and their most important centre back, and they are waiting on fitness tests for the midfielder who holds the whole side together. Liverpool are missing full backs and have doubts of their own. This is a preview, not a confirmed team sheet. Confirmed lineups are due about 75 minutes before kickoff, around 15:15 London time on Sunday, and late fitness tests on Saturday can still change the sides below.
Who is out for Arsenal?
Bukayo Saka is out with a thigh injury, suffered against Bayern Munich on 21 October. Manager Mikel Arteta said on Friday that further scans were reassuring and that a return before the November international break is possible, but Saka is not projected for Sunday. He has scored three league goals this season, and his absence changes how Arsenal attack down the right, because so much of their build up goes through him.
William Saliba is out with a back injury and is not expected back until after the international break. That keeps Ezri Konsa alongside Gabriel Magalhaes as the centre back pair, a partnership that has already had to carry Arsenal through recent games. Saliba's absence is not a one game problem, it is a structural one, because Arsenal's defensive record has been built on Saliba and Gabriel together.
Max Dowman is suspended for three matches after his red card in the Carabao Cup defeat by Fleetwood Town, and Arsenal's appeal against that red card was rejected. He is 16, and he will not be available at Anfield.
Christos Tzolis is the complicated case. NBC Sports lists him out with a thigh injury, while other previews report he has returned to training. Treat him as a doubt, not as a confirmed out and not as a confirmed starter, until Sunday's team news. The same caution applies to the three players below, because Friday training and Saturday training are not the same as a place in the starting side.
Who is a doubt for Arsenal?
Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Riccardo Calafiori all missed the Fleetwood tie, and all three trained on Friday. Arteta said they will be available if they come through Saturday's session. Rice has a small thigh issue, Madueke has an ankle issue, and Calafiori was a surprise omission against Everton. Rice is the pivot of this preview. He has four assists this season, level with the league lead, and if he does not start, Arsenal lose both their defensive screen and their set piece delivery. Madueke is the natural right winger replacement for Saka, so his fitness test matters almost as much. Calafiori is the left back option, with Myles Lewis-Skelly the alternative if Calafiori does not make it.
The predicted Arsenal side in most previews is therefore: David Raya; Ben White, Ezri Konsa, Gabriel Magalhaes, Riccardo Calafiori; Declan Rice, Bruno Guimaraes, Martin Odegaard; Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz, Eberechi Eze. That side has a lot of talent, but it is not Arsenal's first choice side. White at right back, Konsa at centre back, Madueke for Saka, and a midfield that has to cover for Rice if he is not fully fit, all add up to a side that is good enough to win at Anfield, but not a side that can afford an early mistake.
Who is out or doubtful for Liverpool?
Liverpool's list is longer, and it is concentrated in defence. Jeremie Frimpong is out with a thigh injury, Hugo Ekitike is out with an Achilles injury, Conor Bradley is out with a knee injury, and Giovanni Leoni is out with a knee injury. Reserve goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros is also out with a knee injury. Dominik Szoboszlai is a doubt with a thigh injury, and Victor Munoz is a doubt with a knee injury. Official fantasy data lists Szoboszlai as out, while other previews list him as a late test who is unlikely to start. Treat Szoboszlai as unlikely to start, not as a confirmed out, until Sunday.
The good news for Liverpool is in attack and midfield. Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola were rested for the Carabao Cup win over Chelsea, came on as second half substitutes, and scored in the shootout. All three are expected to return to the starting side on Sunday, as is Alexis Mac Allister, who also came off the bench. Alisson is expected to return in goal.
The predicted Liverpool side in most previews is: Alisson Becker; Ronald Araujo, Virgil van Dijk, Jeremy Jacquet, Milos Kerkez; Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister; Bradley Barcola, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo; Alexander Isak. Araujo at right back, in place of Frimpong, is the key defensive change. Liverpool have won four, drawn three and lost once in the league this season, and Isak has scored six league goals, second only to Erling Haaland on nine.
What does the table look like before Sunday?
The table below is the position before Saturday's Matchday 9 games, because Saturday's results at Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham can change the exact points gap by Sunday evening. Use it as the starting point for Sunday, not as a final table.
| Team | Position before Saturday | Points | Played | | Manchester City | 1st | 21 | 8 | | Arsenal | 2nd | 21 | 8 | | Brighton | 3rd | 16 | 7 | | Liverpool | 4th | 15 | 8 | | Chelsea | 5th | 13 | 8 | | Manchester United | 16th | 7 | 8 |
City host Brighton on Saturday afternoon, Chelsea host Manchester United on Saturday lunchtime, and Tottenham host Crystal Palace on Saturday evening. If City win on Saturday, Arsenal go to Anfield knowing they must win to stay level at the top. If City drop points, a draw at Anfield becomes a better result for Arsenal, and a win becomes a chance to go clear. Liverpool's maths are simpler. Win, and they are within three points of the top, whatever happens on Saturday. Lose, and they are nine points behind the leaders, with the title race starting to look like a two team race.
Why does Anfield matter so much for Arsenal?
Arsenal have not beaten Liverpool in a league game at Anfield in 14 years, according to NBC Sports. That is not just a statistic, it is a psychological fact that shapes how Arsenal play there. They have gone to Anfield and led, and they have gone to Anfield and controlled games, and they have still not left with three points in the league for a decade and a half. Arteta's side are Premier League champions, and they are second in the table, but Anfield is the ground where champions are tested in a different way, because the crowd, the pressing, and the early intensity are all designed to force a mistake in the first 20 minutes.
Opta's supercomputer, quoted by Al Jazeera, gives Arsenal a 41.8 percent chance of winning on Sunday, Liverpool a 32.7 percent chance, and a draw a 25.5 percent chance. That makes Arsenal slight favourites on paper, despite the injuries and despite the Anfield record. It also tells you how close this game is expected to be. If Rice starts and Madueke passes his fitness test, Arsenal's predicted side is strong enough to justify that favourite tag. If Rice does not start, Liverpool's midfield of Gravenberch and Mac Allister, behind Wirtz, becomes the stronger unit, and the Opta numbers start to look generous to Arsenal.
What should fans watch for on Sunday?
First, watch the first 20 minutes. Liverpool at Anfield start fast, and Arsenal, without Saka and Saliba, cannot afford to concede early and chase the game. Second, watch the right side of Arsenal's attack. If Madueke starts, he has to provide the width and the one against one threat that Saka normally provides, against a Liverpool left side that will test him defensively as well. Third, watch Isak against Konsa and Gabriel. Isak has six league goals, and Konsa is playing out of his normal centre back rhythm without Saliba beside him. Fourth, watch Rice, if he plays, against Gravenberch. That midfield battle decides whether Arsenal can control the tempo or whether Liverpool can turn the game into a pressing contest. Fifth, watch the benches. Both managers have attacking options who can change a game late, and with so many doubts, the substitutes may include players who were not expected to be involved at all on Friday.
When is Liverpool v Arsenal and how can I watch it?
Liverpool v Arsenal kicks off at Anfield on Sunday 1 November at 16:30 London time. In the UK it is live on Sky Sports Main Event. In the United States, kickoff is 11:30 Eastern, because the United States leaves daylight time on Sunday morning, so New York moves from daylight time to standard time between Saturday and Sunday. That clock change is the trap for fans outside the UK. Europe is already on winter time, the UK is on GMT, and the United States changes on Sunday morning, so check local listings if you are outside the zones below.
| Kickoff | London | Berlin, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Amsterdam | New York, Toronto | Los Angeles | Karachi | | Sunday 1 November | 16:30 GMT | 17:30 CET | 11:30 EST | 08:30 PST | 21:30 PKT |
In Canada, the game is listed at 11:30 Eastern. In Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands, kickoff is 17:30 Central European Time. In Karachi, kickoff is 21:30. That late Karachi time, and the morning start in Los Angeles, are why this game is a prime time game in Europe and a morning game in North America, and why the international audience for this fixture is so large.
Related live posts: Chelsea v Man Utd Predicted Lineups and Team News, and Man Utd in Crisis After Bournemouth Rout: Carrick Future, Matchday 8 Table and What Comes Next.
Sources: NBC Sports, Liverpool v Arsenal how to watch and team news, 30 October 2026; Football365, Liverpool v Arsenal prediction and team news, 30 October 2026; RotoWire, Liverpool v Arsenal predicted lineups, 30 October 2026; Al Jazeera, Liverpool v Arsenal predictions and lineups, 31 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Liverpool v Arsenal?
Sunday 1 November 2026 at 16:30 London time at Anfield, live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event.
Is Bukayo Saka playing against Liverpool?
No, Saka is out with a thigh injury suffered against Bayern Munich on 21 October, and Arteta said a return before the international break is possible but not for Sunday.
Is William Saliba playing against Liverpool?
No, Saliba is out with a back injury and is not expected back until after the international break, so Konsa partners Gabriel.
Is Declan Rice fit for Liverpool v Arsenal?
Rice returned to training on Friday after a thigh issue, but Arteta said he will be available only if he comes through Saturday's session, so treat him as a doubt, not a confirmed starter.
Who is out for Liverpool against Arsenal?
Frimpong, Ekitike, Bradley and Leoni are out, Szoboszlai and Munoz are doubts, while Isak, Wirtz and Barcola are expected to return to the starting side.
When was the last time Arsenal won a league game at Anfield?
Arsenal have not beaten Liverpool in a league game at Anfield in 14 years, according to NBC Sports, which is why Sunday is a record breaking opportunity as well as a title test.
