Liverpool travel to the Emirates to face league leaders Arsenal in a crucial match for both sides in the Premier League
Ben Crawford GAU Writer and Abbie Meehan Sports Writer U-35s
14:30, 08 Jan 2026
Arsenal's Norwegian midfielder #08 Martin Odegaard (C) jumps in to join the celebration after Arsenal's Swedish striker #14 Viktor Gyokeres scored the opening goal to take the lead 0-1 during the English Premier League football match between Everton and Arsenal at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, north west England on December 20, 2025.
View 3 Images
Arsenal face Liverpool on Thursday night(Image: Oli SCARFF / AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal are set for a tough test as they host current Premier League champions Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have been in red-hot form, establishing themselves at the top with wins over Bournemouth and Aston Villa.
Liverpool started this season with hopes of challenging Arsenal for the title, but their defence hit a bump in late September. Arne Slot's side have recovered from a string of consecutive losses, but have not managed to secure a win in their last two outings.
As a result, they find themselves 14 points adrift of Arsenal, who have won their last five league games. Here, Football London provides all the essential details for the match-up in north London.
When does Arsenal vs Liverpool kick off?
Arsenal and Liverpool is scheduled for 8pm on Thursday, January 8, at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners go into the game on a high following a 3-2 win over Bournemouth on Saturday. Goals from Gabriel and Declan Rice helped secure the three points despite a fightback from the Cherries through Evanilson and Eli Junior Kroupi.
In contrast, Liverpool will be facing Arsenal just four days after their most recent draw in the league. The Reds drew 2-2 with Fulham on Sunday afternoon.
David Raya of Arsenal with Jurrien Timber prior to the Premier League match between Everton and Arsenal at Hill Dickinson Stadium on December 20, 2025 in Liverpool, England.
View 3 Images
Arsenal want to get one over the current Premier League champions(Image: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Despite goals from Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo, Liverpool were denied victory by a stunning 97th-minute equaliser from Fulham's Harrison Reed.
Which channel will broadcast Arsenal vs Liverpool?
In the UK, the match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League. Coverage typically commences an hour before kick-off to deliver commentary and the latest squad news. For those with compatible 4K televisions, the game will also be broadcast on Sky Sports Ultra HDR.
If you're looking to stream the match on a mobile device, tablet, or laptop, you can do so via the Sky Go app, which is included for all customers with a valid Sky Sports subscription.
Alternatively, supporters without a long-term contract can stream the match using a NOW Sports Membership. This offers a flexible way to access all Sky Sports channels on most smart devices for either a daily or monthly fee.
Team news for Arsenal vs Liverpool
Declan Rice of Arsenal reacts during the Premier League match between Bournemouth and Arsenal at Vitality Stadium on January 03, 2026 in Bournemouth, England.
View 3 Images
Declan Rice will look to continue his goalscoring form(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Declan Rice netted twice in Arsenal's last match despite missing their previous encounter, and he will be a key figure in the Gunners' midfield.
Mikel Arteta should have Kai Havertz at his disposal for selection after the forward was given a rest over the weekend as a precautionary measure. However, the league leaders will still be without Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera, both of whom continue to be sidelined due to persistent muscle and ankle problems.
Liverpool manager Slot is dealing with a significant attacking deficit ahead of the crucial journey to north London on Thursday. With Alexander Isak out with a broken leg and Mohamed Salah away on AFCON duty, the Reds are closely monitoring Hugo Ekitike's situation.
Article continues below
Florian Wirtz is expected to start despite being substituted against Fulham. Cody Gakpo remains the primary option to spearhead the attack if Ekitike is not given the medical all-clear to start, following his absence on Sunday afternoon.
Join the football.london Arsenal WhatsApp channel
Join our Arsenal WhatsApp channel and get all the latest breaking news, opinion, podcasts and in-depth stories from football.london's dedicated Arsenal writers straight to your phone!
By following this free service you will be the first to know the news from the Emirates Stadium as it happens, when it happens.
To join our dedicated Arsenal channel, all you have to do is click this link and you can join thousands of others following our Gunners coverage!
If you're curious, you can check out our privacy policy here.