Sabasports Match Preview
Premier League: Arsenal vs Liverpool
Kickoff Time: 2026-1-9 4:00 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/Toby Melville
Arsenal defeated Bournemouth 3-2 in their last away match, achieving five consecutive league victories. This season, Arsenal’s performance has been quite stable, and despite a packed schedule, they have managed to maintain a balance between attack and defense. Under Mikel Arteta’s tactical system, Arsenal typically compresses the opponent’s attacking space by deploying full-backs in advanced positions and having center-backs press actively, forcing their opponents into mistakes under high pressure to regain possession. Arsenal averages 15.3 tackles and 6.1 interceptions per game, leading the Premier League in these statistics. Additionally, set pieces have always been an important scoring method for Arsenal, having scored over 15 goals from set pieces for four consecutive seasons. Especially in tightly contested matches, Arsenal often relies on set pieces to break the deadlock.
Liverpool drew 2-2 away against Fulham in their last match, remaining unbeaten in eight league matches. However, during this period, Liverpool has often been caught off guard by their opponents, with their overall performance being unsatisfactory. This season, Liverpool’s performance has significantly deviated from expectations. Firstly, head coach Arne Slot’s ability to make in-game adjustments and solutions to crises has come under scrutiny; compared to his predecessor Jürgen Klopp, he has lacked effective solutions when the team is in trouble, making it difficult for the team to turn around. From a statistical standpoint, Cody Gakpo has emerged as a relatively standout player in Liverpool’s attack, but in actual matches, he still has many shortcomings, particularly his one-dimensional attacking approach, primarily relying on cutting inside for shots. Furthermore, weaknesses in defense have also hampered Liverpool’s performance, with the team conceding 28 goals in the league so far, ranking them in the lower mid-table for defensive standards.
It is worth mentioning that set-piece defense has become a significant weakness for Liverpool this season, as they have frequently been penetrated by opponents’ set-piece tactics. Arsenal, on the other hand, excels in set-piece strategies, which increases the Gunners’ chances of victory in this match. Moreover, in terms of tactical cohesion and stability in both attack and defense, Arsenal clearly outperforms Liverpool. Overall, given Arsenal’s recent hot form, they are worthy of continued support.
Arsenal’s Last 5 Games: WWWDW
26-01-04 Bournemouth 2-3 Arsenal
25-12-31 Arsenal 4-1 Aston Villa
25-12-27 Arsenal 2-1 Brighton
25-12-24 Arsenal 1-1 Crystal Palace (Penalty shootout 8-7)
25-12-21 Everton 0-1 Arsenal
Liverpool‘s Last 5 Games: DDWWW
26-01-04 Fulham 2-2 Liverpool
26-01-02 Liverpool 0-0 Leeds United
25-12-27 Liverpool 2-1 Wolves
25-12-21 Tottenham 1-2 Liverpool
25-12-13 Liverpool 2-0 Brighton
Head-To-Head Record
25-08-31 Liverpool 1-0 Arsenal
25-05-11 Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal
24-10-28 Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool
24-08-01 Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
24-02-05 Arsenal 3-1 Liverpool
Prediction: Arsenal home win