Experience over form in the two big calls: Liverpool predicted lineup vs Arsenal

Liverpool predicted lineup vs Arsenal: we expect Andoni Iraola to back experience at Anfield on Sunday, with the two selection calls that are genuinely up for debate both going to the senior man.

Liverpool host the champions at 4.30pm on Sunday 1 November, fourth in the table on 15 points and six behind second-placed Arsenal. Our Liverpool vs Arsenal preview has the bigger picture. This piece is about the eleven we would expect to walk out.

Iraola gave little away on Friday. Asked about Dominik Szoboszlai and Victor Munoz, he said: “I think they have a chance. They have a chance. But I don’t know for sure if they will be involved or not.” We have left both out of the XI on the basis that a place on the bench is the best either can hope for. He also made the job sound simple enough, telling reporters it will come down to “winning the duels, running more than them, winning the set-play mini-games.”

Jeremie Frimpong, Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are all out. Most of this team picks itself, and the arguments are on the right of the attack and next to Alexis Mac Allister in midfield.

Liverpool predicted lineup vs Arsenal

Liverpool predicted lineup vs Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Gakpo, Wirtz, Barcola; Isak

Alisson Becker: back in goal for the Liverpool lineup vs Arsenal

Giorgi Mamardashvili played the cup tie against Chelsea and saved from Emanuel Emegha in the shootout, but Alisson is the league goalkeeper and comes straight back in. He should expect a busy afternoon at corners, because that is where Arsenal are most dangerous.

Ronald Araujo: the Liverpool right-back by necessity

With Frimpong and Bradley both out, there is no real debate. Araujo moved inside for the penalty shootout win over Chelsea and was excellent, with 10 clearances, while Joe Gomez did well at right-back beside him. We looked at why this position is such a headache in our analysis of Liverpool’s right-back problem, but we would still go back to Araujo here. He has the size for the corners, and Eberechi Eze will test whether he has the feet.

Jeremy Jacquet: a fresher Liverpool defender vs Arsenal

Jacquet has played a lot of football lately and finally got a breather in midweek, coming on for only the last 18 minutes against Chelsea. That was well timed. William Saliba is missing for Arsenal, but Jacquet will still have Gabriel Magalhaes to deal with at every set piece.

Virgil van Dijk: the captain in the Liverpool predicted lineup

Van Dijk started the cup tie and came off after 72 minutes, which is a little more rest than he might have expected. Only Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard have a higher expected goals figure than Gabriel in this Arsenal squad, which tells you a lot about how much Mikel Arteta’s side rely on dead balls. Van Dijk’s job is to win those duels, and Iraola made it clear on Friday how much they matter.

Milos Kerkez: Liverpool’s left-back vs Arsenal picks itself

Kostas Tsimikas played on Wednesday and put his penalty over the bar, so Kerkez returns rested and with no real rival. Saka is out, Max Dowman is banned and Noni Madueke is still being assessed with an ankle problem, so this is a much friendlier right side of Arsenal’s attack than he might have feared. He should have licence to get forward.

Ryan Gravenberch: the biggest call in the Liverpool lineup vs Arsenal

This is the one spot where you could honestly go either way. Gravenberch had a night to forget against Chelsea, conceding a penalty and missing in the shootout, while Trey Nyoni was calm and tidy beside him and is probably in better form. Asked about Gravenberch on Friday, Iraola admitted he has had good and bad games this season and has played a lot of minutes, but said he trusts him.

We would go the same way. Games against the better sides tend to get stretched, and that is when Gravenberch has room to carry the ball out of trouble. We thought the same before Brighton and it did not happen, so this is a selection based on what he can be more than what he has been.

Alexis Mac Allister: a mainstay in the Liverpool predicted lineup

Mac Allister came on for the last 10 minutes on Wednesday, looked sharp and scored the first penalty of the shootout. He has been one of the best players in this team this season and should start without any thought from Iraola. Alongside Gravenberch, he also gives Liverpool an established pairing that has won a league title together.

Cody Gakpo: experience over form on the right

Rio Ngumoha has the stronger case on recent form. Gakpo has been wasteful in his last two games and, after an injury around the last international break, he played the full match in both. But he is a better defender than Ngumoha, more street-smart and better suited to helping out against a marauding full-back. Arsenal’s defence has conceded just five league goals in eight, so if this is still level on the hour, we would take Gakpo to get it there and Ngumoha to finish it.

Florian Wirtz: fresh and back in the Liverpool lineup vs Arsenal

Wirtz twisted his ankle against Brighton, and that was the worry of the week. He answered it by coming on just before the hour against Chelsea and scoring in the shootout, though he should have done better with a chance from eight yards. With only half an hour in his legs since the weekend, he should be fresh for a game in which Iraola needs him to find space behind Declan Rice.

Bradley Barcola: the left side belongs to him

Barcola also came on just before the hour on Wednesday and scored his penalty. He gave Liverpool a spark the starters had not provided, which is a good reason to think he will start on Sunday. With Saka missing, the Arsenal right-back should also get less help from the man in front of him.

Alexander Isak: the only No.9 in the Liverpool predicted lineup vs Arsenal

Ekitike is out until late December, so the striker’s job is Isak’s alone. He scored the winner at Brentford and found the net again against Brighton, and he had only about 10 minutes on Wednesday, plus a penalty in the shootout. Saliba’s absence helps, but Ezri Konsa has stepped in well and Gabriel is still there, so he will need to be at his sharpest.

Liverpool bench and doubts vs Arsenal

Szoboszlai is the one to watch. He hurt his hamstring again against Brentford and has missed the games against Villarreal, Brighton and Chelsea since, while Munoz has a knee problem. If Szoboszlai does make the bench, the midfield debate gets a lot more interesting in the coming weeks, because that second spot beside Mac Allister is the only part of the side that does not feel settled.

Ngumoha and Nyoni are the obvious changes if Liverpool need something in the second half, and Gomez offers cover across the back four. We would be surprised if Ngumoha does not get on the pitch at some stage.

Can this Liverpool lineup beat Arsenal at Anfield?

We think they can. Arsenal have not won a league game at Anfield since September 2012, they lost at Fleetwood in the cup on Tuesday, and they arrive without Saka, Saliba or Dowman. They have only lost once in the league, but that was a 3-0 defeat at Brighton, the same side Liverpool beat 2-0 last time out in the league.

It may not be pretty. Two good sides can cancel each other out, and the corners could decide it either way. But if Liverpool are level with half an hour to go and Ngumoha is warming up, Iraola will fancy his chances.

Liverpool predicted lineup vs Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Gakpo, Wirtz, Barcola; Isak