When Liverpool and Arsenal go head-to-head at Anfield on Sunday, May 11, you could be fooled into thinking nothing is riding on the game.
Liverpool’s 5-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend confirmed their status as Premier League champions for the second time.
The Gunners look destined to finish second after a league campaign where they have developed an unwelcome knack for throwing points away.
Although the destination of the title has been finalised, both teams will head into their upcoming clash with major points to prove.
Liverpool deserve top spot due to their consistency, but they have undoubtedly been helped by the deficiencies of their rivals.
That point applies to their Gunners, who have demonstrated signs of weakness during a campaign where the title was theirs for the taking.
With that in mind, it is no surprise that Liverpool vs Arsenal tickets have become highly sought after on Seatsnet.com.
Fans heading to the game can expect a thrilling battle as both sides strive to lay down an early marker ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Match Preview
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has been widely praised for guiding the team to the league title in his first season in charge.
However, while some of the plaudits are justified, you would be hard-pressed to argue this has been a vintage Premier League season.
That point applies to the Reds, who have relied heavily on Mohamed Salah this term. Beyond him, their team has been functional rather than spectacular.
Slot’s comments after the victory over Tottenham painted a curious picture for people who don’t view the Premier League through a Liverpool-tinted prism.
“What I noticed from the first day I came in was that winning the league would be the most special trophy we could win,” Slot said.
“I think I felt that throughout the whole season. Although we were all very disappointed when we were knocked out (of the Champions League) by Paris Saint-Germain, we always felt there was a bigger goal to achieve.
“To do that in the most difficult league in the world in a period of time where it gets harder and harder to win it is very special.”
While Slot’s summation that winning the league matters most to the fans, his comment about it getting harder to win is wide of the mark.
This season’s title race has been a non-event. Reigning champions Manchester City never looked like winning the league for the fifth successive year.
Chelsea briefly threatened to force their way into contention before quickly fading away. Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur vanished without a trace.
Their collective failures cleared the way for Liverpool to ease effortlessly to the title. Things would have been much harder if Arsenal had delivered what was expected of them.
The Gunners have lost just three games in 34 outings this term. However, 13 draws ultimately scuppered their title hopes.
That record equates to 26 points dropped. Had they garnered just half of that total, the title race would still be alive with four games remaining.
To compound their misery, five of their last seven draws were from a winning position. That equates to ten points frittered away by carelessness.
Manager Mikel Arteta recently highlighted that of the three defeats Arsenal suffered, they twice finished the game with ten men.
While the Spaniard may feel it mitigates their failure to win the league, it is an extremely weak argument.
In simple terms, Arsenal have failed to live up to expectations this season. With the title gone, the Liverpool game offers them the chance to prove they can change the narrative.
Fans who purchase Liverpool tickets for the fixture will do so safe in the knowledge that the home side will not step off the gas despite winning the title.
They will be eager to prove that they have claimed top spot as a result of their own brilliance, not the inadequacies of their rivals.
This gives the Gunners the opportunity to record a statement victory against the newly-crowned champions on their own patch.
Picking up three points at Anfield would not change the outcome of the title race, but it could be the catalyst for next season’s battle to chart a different course.
Key Stats
- Liverpool are winless in their last five Premier League meetings with Arsenal (D3, L2).
- The Reds have scored at least two goals in 15 of their 17 home league games this term.
- Liverpool have been top of the table in 28 out of the 34 Matchdays this season.
- Mohamed Salah has scored 12 home league goals this season – the most in the Premier League.
- Arsenal have drawn 13 league games this season – only Everton (14) have drawn more.
- Only Liverpool and Arsenal have averaged less than a goal per game against them in the Premier League this season.
- Liverpool won the Premier League title with four games left to play – only three teams have won it earlier – Liverpool (2019/20), Man City (2017/18) and Man United (2000/01).
- The two sides drew 2-2 in the reverse fixture in October.
Team News
Joe Gomez has not played since suffering a hamstring injury in February, but could return to the Liverpool squad before the end of the campaign.
Gabriel Jesus, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Gabriel will not play for Arsenal until next season. Kai Havertz may return to action in May.
Liverpool potential starting line-up:
(4-2-3-1): Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz.
Arsenal potential starting line-up:
(4-3-3): David Raya, Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Jakub Kiwior, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli.
