Preview : Arsenal vs Liverpool - EFL Cup - Semi-finals

Arsenal vs Liverpool

SCHEDULE	TIME
GAME	Arsenal vs Liverpool
DATE	20/01/2022
TIME	14:45 PM (UTC)
VENUE	Emirates Stadium (London)
LEAGUE	EFL Cup - Semi-finals

TV Channel Info

More Information

Streaming starts 5 minutes before kick off

Match Preview

◉ With their league fixture against rivals Tottenham Hotspur being postponed at the weekend due to a lack of first team players, Arsenal are gearing up for a second successive game against Liverpool, after drawing 0-0 in the first-leg of the EFL Cup semi-finals last midweek. The last time Arsenal drew 0-0 in an EFL Cup first-leg semi, they took Chelsea back to the Emirates and won 2-1 in the second-leg, and have now successfully navigated the semi-final stage of this competition in three of their last four attempts.

◉ Going into the match as underdogs amid selection issues, the ‘Gunners’ have failed to score against Liverpool in each of their last four games though, only tasting victory in three of their last 17 H2H encounters (D5, L9). That said, Arsenal do have a proud record to protect as they’ve never lost to their opponents at home in League Cup history (W3, D3).

◉ Liverpool will be feeling confident after cruising past Brentford with a 3-0 victory last time out, showing that they still have plenty of bite left in their attack despite missing their African stars. Manager Jürgen Klopp is expected to send out a strong squad in pursuit of silverware, as he’ll know his side have exited the competition at this stage twice in their last three semi-final appearances.

◉ Chasing a record-extending 13th League Cup final, the ‘Reds’ will be looking to impose their recent dominance over Arsenal, scoring more goals against the north London side (43) in the Jürgen Klopp era than against any other side. Chelsea await the winner of the competition's most competed fixture, with the 18th League Cup match between Arsenal and Liverpool set to be a cracker.

◉ Players to watch: Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette has clutched up late in games recently, scoring four of his last six club goals past the 68th minute, whilst against no other team has Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino scored more goals than Arsenal (eight - tied with Watford).

◉ Hot stat: There have been nine goals scored past the 75th minute in Arsenal's last nine fixtures.

Arsenal starting lineup:

Ramsdale; Chambers, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney; Saka, White, Lokonga, Martinelli; Lacazette, Nketiah

Liverpool starting lineup:

Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Jones; Minamino, Firmino, Jota

Prediction

Arsenal 1-2 Liverpool

While Liverpool have several absentees of their own, Arsenal are extremely thin on the ground, particularly in midfield, which could see them exposed by Klopp's men, should this tie go ahead.

Three strikes at the weekend will give the Reds confidence that they can breach the Gunners' backline at the second time of asking in midweek, and they may just do enough to edge past the hosts into next month's EFL Cup final.