After three seasons of finishing in the runners up position and some pressure building within the Arsenal fandom, Mikel Arteta takes his team to Anfield for a very early test of how this season may shape up.
Stripped of talisman Bukayo Saka and potentially without his captain Martin Odegaard, defender Ben White, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and new signing Christian Norgaard, in seasons past this may well have been very much a case of damage limitation at the home of the champions. Particularly when you consider the harrowing defeats Arsenal have suffered there over the years, including with Arteta the player in midfield. However, the signings made this summer have built out the Arsenal squad in a way to make these absences no longer an excuse.
Selection Dilemma
Compared with the early Arteta years, a front three of Eze, Gyokeres and Madueke is extremely strong and means the lack of Saka is compensated for to a certain degree. All three are very early in their Arsenal careers but two are experienced in the premier league and Gyokeres comes with a lot of expectation after record breaking goal scoring feats in Portugal.
Since his injury last season, captain Odegaard has not been the same player and at times seems to slow the attack too much. With Saka definitely out, the telepathy between the two of them will obviously not be missed.
Raise the bar. pic.twitter.com/vBgJhTRyQG
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 29, 2025
With the best defence in the league alongside Rice and Zubimendi set as a pivot in front of them, now may well be the time for Arteta to go on the attack despite the injuries and against some of the more pragmatic, safe options he sometimes takes.
Against this, the champions from last season come in with two wins out of two but also with large question marks against the nature of their performances. Whilst you can't really argue with results both Bournemouth and Newcastle will consider themselves to have been well within reach of a result deep in to both matches. Newcastle especially, will rue going down to 10 men.
A loss will no doubt be written off as too early in the season to make any difference but a win for a much changed Arsenal team would be seen as a real statement of intent and provide much needed momentum for Arteta and his players.