Arsenal visit Anfield on Sunday, November 1, 2026, for a marquee Premier League clash holding major title implications. Mikel Arteta’s side sits second in the table on 21 points, while fifth-placed Liverpool trail by six points ahead of the 16:30 GMT kickoff.
The reigning Premier League champions arrive on Merseyside seeking to banish the memory of a dismal Carabao Cup penalty shootout exit against fourth-tier Fleetwood Town. That Tuesday night disappointment left Mikel Arteta’s squad reeling, just days before facing a resurgent Liverpool side operating under new management.
Anfield Drought Tests Arsenal’s Title Credentials
History offers little comfort for the visitors. Arsenal have gone 13 Premier League away matches without a victory at Anfield since a 2-0 win during the 2012-13 season under Arsène Wenger, when Mikel Arteta played in the midfield. No stadium visited more than ten times in the top flight features a lower win rate for the Gunners, sitting at just 18 percent with six victories across 34 trips.
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Despite that record, the Gunners wear the crown this season. Sitting second in the standings on 21 points with a plus-eight goal difference, they trail leaders Manchester City only on goal difference after eight matches. Their watertight defense remains a primary weapon, having conceded just five goals all season, allowing the fewest shots on target at 24, and keeping a clean sheet in 56 percent of their league matches throughout 2026.
It’s an opportunity. When I came here, in many places we were 20, 22 years, 18 years without a win and we’ve been doing all these things, so on Sunday that’s the opportunity that we have.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal Manager
Mikel Arteta can take historical inspiration from George Graham’s side of May 1989, when Arsenal traveled to Anfield and secured a dramatic 2-0 victory to clinch the league title in stoppage time. Before kickoff that afternoon, players placed flowers around the ground in tribute following the Hillsborough disaster.
Andoni Iraola Revitalizes Liverpool’s Attack Around Alexander Isak
Liverpool enter Sunday’s fixture riding a five-match winning streak across all competitions, capturing their first home league victory since April during their recent defeat of Brighton & Hove Albion. A victory would pull the hosts within three points of Arsenal.
Alexander Isak anchors that resurgence. The striker has netted six goals in his last six Premier League matches, rewarding the club’s patience following a difficult first season marked by a broken leg. Alexander Isak’s recent form includes scoring in six straight Premier League encounters, including registering in three straight top-flight games for the first time since January 2025, providing an important focal point in Liverpool’s attack under Andoni Iraola.
He is massively important because Liverpool are not a great goalscoring team right now.
Jamie Carragher, Former Liverpool Defender
Captain Virgil van Dijk noted that the team operates with greater risk and reward under the current setup, pressing higher up the pitch to win the ball back in advanced areas. Liverpool average 24.9 long balls per match this term alongside 165.9 high pressures in the opposition half.
Squad Selections and Tactical Battles Shape Sunday’s Showdown
Both managers navigate significant personnel challenges. Arteta must also manage his forward options following a frustrating outing from Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres midweek.
Liverpool remain without long-term absentees Hugo Ekitiké, Conor Bradley, and Giovanni Leoni due to injuries carried over from the previous campaign. Alisson is expected to start in goal behind a defensive unit anticipated to feature Ronald Araújo, Jérémy Jacquet, Virgil van Dijk, and Milos Kerkez.
Opta’s supercomputer gives Arsenal a 41.8 percent probability of winning at Anfield, compared to 32.7 percent for Liverpool and 25.5 percent for a draw. Midfield distributions driven by Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard, who lead the league in final-third line-breaking passes, will face a Liverpool side featuring Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch as Sunday afternoon unfolds live on Sky Sports.
Worth a look
