Liverpool v Arsenal Match Preview

Liverpool will run out at Anfield for the first time since being crowned Premier League champions when they host Arsenal, who will be hurting following their Champions League exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in midweek.

The action on Sunday gets underway at 4.30pm and will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League/Main Event.

With Arne Slot’s side having been confirmed as league winners a fortnight ago when they hammered Tottenham 5-1, they unsurprisingly stepped off the gas last weekend when a much-changed team lost 3-1 at Chelsea.

However, the Reds should be back to pretty much full strength against the Gunners.

Mikel Arteta’s men, who bowed out of Europe 3-1 on aggregate against PSG at the semi-final stage, are facing a fight with Manchester City to finish as next-best behind Sunday’s opponents, as the stuttering Gunners, who have lost their last three games in all competitions, have only won one of their last five in the top flight.

With the race for a top-five finish hotting up – Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, Chelsea and Aston Villa are all still involved – Arteta’s side must quickly try and find their best form again.

Tip 1: Draw – 5/2 with Skybet

Liverpool could be forgiven for their below-par display at Stamford Bridge last time out when a side containing six changes struggled against the Blues, who were more motivated as they, too, chase Champions League football for next season.

Slot decided to ring the changes to give the likes of Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo and Jarrell Quansah rare starts but his second-string largely failed to impress.

The big guns should all be back for Sunday, though, and the hosts will want to underline why they are champions by seeing off Arsenal, who have been their nearest challengers for much of the campaign.

However, the visitors will be motivated by the fact they need the points to ensure they secure a top-five place, and with City directly behind them in the table now looking somewhere close to their best again, the Gunners must surely get something from their trip to Anfield.

It is likely to be a party atmosphere and goals should be guaranteed. This season’s reverse meeting was a cracker, ending 2-2 at the Emirates in October, and something similar could play out this weekend.

Tip 2: Mohamed Salah to score or assist and to have 2+ shots on target – 7/4 with Skybet

Mohamed Salah’s outstanding season is set to end with him winning the Premier League Golden Boot as the Egyptian ace has 28 goals so far, five ahead of nearest rival Alexander Isak.

However, Salah is also hoping to overtake Andrew Cole and Alan Shearer’s joint record of 47 goal involvements in a Premier League season in the weeks that remain. 

The flying forward is currently on 46 goal involvements (28 goals and 18 assists) so needs just two more to move to the top of that list.  

Therefore, backing Salah to either score or assist looks a good option this weekend and combining it with him having at least two shots on target boosts the selection further to 7/4.

Salah scored a late equaliser when these two met in North London and he will be keen to make his usual telling impact in the final third on Sunday.

Tip 3: Liverpool 3-3 Arsenal – Correct score at 33/1 with Skybet

There are usually plenty of goals when these two attacking teams face each other and Liverpool will surely want to entertain in front of their own supporters.

Salah and co have only failed to score in one league game all season – the 1-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest – and the Reds are the division’s clear top-scorers with 81 goals.

The Gunners are the fourth-best in terms of scoring in the Premier League, managing 64 goals from their 35 games, and the two sides have produced plenty of entertaining, goal-laden matches recently, with four of the last five league meetings featuring four goals or more.

There seems to be a very high chance of another high-scoring affair on Sunday and 3-3 in the correct score market, available at 33/1, is obviously a long-shot but one that could still pay off.