Liverpool travel to face leaders Arsenal on Thursday.placeholder image
Liverpool travel to face leaders Arsenal on Thursday. | Getty Images
Liverpool travel to the Emirates on Thursday to face league leaders Arsenal
Thursday night sees a crunch clash at the top of the Premier League table as the current champions Liverpool visit champions-elect Arsenal, who took a six-point lead at the top following a flawless festive period.
Arne Slot’s Reds have quietly seen a return to form themselves, going nine matches unbeaten since the Dutchman made the controversial decision to drop Mohamed Salah from the starting XI at West Ham United.
In an interview with Sky Sports earlier this week, Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai made sure to emphasise that “we [Liverpool] are not playing against the champions, they [Arsenal] are playing against the champions.”
When the Reds take to the turf at the Emirates, they will look to show the in-form Gunners that they will not give up their crown easily.
Will Hugo Ekitike be fit and available to face Arsenal?
Slot has revealed that Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike is a doubt to face Arsenal, as the 23-year-old continues to struggle with a hamstring injury which kept him out against Fulham last time out.
The Reds head coach said in his press conference on Wednesday: "He has not trained with us until now and let's see if he can today. I have said two-three days ago he won't be out for long, but the games come fast so he is in between with the team and it might take him one or two days extra."
Alexander Isak is out with a broken leg and with Salah still away at AFCON, Cody Gakpo may start in the striker position once again if Ekitike is not passed fit to start. The Dutchman started in the role at Craven Cottage and scored what Liverpool thought was a last-minute winner, before the Reds were pegged back by a Harrison Reed wondergoal.
Lack of attacking options plagues Slot amidst injury woes
Liverpool have a lack of wide and creative options available at present, with midfielders such as Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones starting as part of the three behind the striker in recent matches.
Jeremie Frimpong came off the bench to create Gakpo’s goal on Sunday and may be trusted to start wide right at the Emirates, with Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz shifting across and Jones dropping to the bench. Part of Frimpong’s hybrid role on his arrival at Anfield was to provide cover for Salah in addition to his usual full-back duties, while the form boost enjoyed by former Bayer Leverkusen team-mate Wirtz has come at the perfect time for the Reds.
The champions have few further options available to them at present, particularly in attacking areas, with three youngsters and two goalkeepers named on the bench at Fulham. Winger Federico Chiesa has been linked with a return to Italy and is likely to be used as an impact substitute once again.
Full predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Frimpong, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Gakpo.
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