Premier League: Liverpool vs Arsenal betting preview

One of the biggest Premier League matches of the campaign so far will take place on Saturday, December 23rd when league leaders Arsenal head to Anfield to lock horns with Liverpool, who are right on their tails in second. The kick-off is scheduled for 12:30 PM ET. The Gunners moved into top spot last weekend with an impressive 2-0 victory over Brighton, while the Merseysiders dropped two points in a disappointing scoreless stalemate with Manchester United. They did grab a convincing win in the Carabao Cup quarterfinals against West Ham on Wednesday, though. Below, we’ll dive into the head-to-head history and preview the game.

Head-to-head history

Liverpool has a fair share of success against Arsenal in recent memory, only tasting defeat once in the last seven games across all competitions. That loss was last October by a score of 3-2 at the Emirates. The Gunners have only notched two Premier League victories against the Reds since 2020.

Can the Reds get it done?

After a very average campaign to their standards in 2022-23, Liverpool have come back with a vengeance this season and truly look the part of a title contender. Jurgen Klopp’s men are only one point back of Arsenal and although it’s still early in the campaign, they have every chance to lift the most prestigious trophy in England when next year rolls around.

The Reds possess one of the most electrifying attacks in world football. Mo Salah is enjoying a magnificent campaign with 11 goals and seven assists to lead the way, while the likes of Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo, and Luis Diaz are all capable of creating havoc as well. Nunez has netted four times and also set up another five, serving as the perfect co-partner for Salah in the final third.

One major difference from last season is Liverpool’s backline, who have only conceded 15 times in 17 games, a Premier League low. That’s a far cry from 2022-23 when the defense struggled immensely to keep opposing attacks at bay. The Merseysiders just thrashed the Hammers 5-1 mid-week in League Cup action and that wasn’t even with a full-strength starting XI. Salah didn’t even start but he came on as a second-half substitute and hit the back of the net. 

Liverpool’s frontline will need to be firing on all cylinders on Saturday. However, it won't be easy because Arsenal is rock solid at the back as well, only allowing 15 goals this term. The hosts sit at +130 odds at 888sport. For what it’s worth, the Red are unbeaten in their last 10 home matches against the North Londoners. 

Arsenal flying high

It’s common knowledge that Arsenal threw away their opportunity to win the Premier League last term, but perhaps things will be different this time around and the Gunners learned from their past mistakes. Mikel Arteta’s side owns a 12-3-2 record in the Premier League, tasting defeat just once in their last nine competitive games. That came against Aston Villa earlier this month, who are the surprise of the top flight thus far and only one point out of first place alongside Liverpool.

But after a 1-1 draw in the UCL, Arsenal got back to their winning ways last Sunday at home versus Brighton. Gabriel Jesus bagged the opener in the 53rd minute before Kai Havertz scored the second as he continued his impressive form. To be frank, the Gunners should’ve had more than just two goals considering their 26 attempts and nine on target, but regardless, the three points were secured. 

While producing up top is absolutely key to winning, Arsenal will surely be focused on keeping Liverpool out of their net. The Gunners have conceded 43 times in their previous 15 meetings with the Merseysiders. Considering how many finishers the Reds have in their squad, the North Londoners have to bring their best defensively. This should be a highly entertaining game, with Arsenal sitting at plus odds just like Liverpool at soccer betting sites.