FA Cup Showdown: Arsenal vs Liverpool

Match Preview

The biggest fixture of the FA Cup third round comes at the Emirates Stadium as Arsenal welcome Liverpool to the Emirates Stadium. It is going to be interesting to see how seriously each side will take the competition. Both coaches would love to lift the FA Cup, but they also have bigger fish to fry. The Premier League title remains a possibility for both clubs, while they are also in Europe. For Liverpool, they have a Carabao Cup semi final to contend with too. Rotation will be expected from both Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp.

Arsenal’s Recent Struggles

The last few fixtures have been frustrating for Arsenal, as they have seen themselves drop points in four of their last five Premier League matches. This has seen them drop from the top of the table to fourth, but they are only five points behind Liverpool. It has been a blow to their title credentials. However, they are still in the race. A cup match could be a good distraction for them, as they have the chance to rebuild confidence against one of their rivals.

Liverpool’s Multi-Competition Challenge

Liverpool remain in the hunt for silverware in four competitions, as they look back to their best under Jurgen Klopp. Given their schedule and the tough away draw, the German manager may not lose too much sleep if his team are knocked out on Sunday. They have two Carabao Cup games to come and they are currently favourites to win that competition. They are also at the top of the Premier League and that will be a higher priority. The absences of those on international duty reduce the options available in the squad.

Interesting Stats

Arsenal have won the previous three meetings with Liverpool in the FA Cup.

Liverpool have a good record at this stage of the competition, with only one third round exit in the last 12 seasons.

Key Men

Jesus

There are some players that enjoy playing in the FA Cup and Gabriel Jesus certainly meets that criteria. The Brazilian has contributed ten goals and six assists in his last 20 FA Cup appearances. During his time at Manchester City, he was often given chances in this competition and he would do well when he was on the pitch. In Arsenal’s most recent fixture, he was rested and Eddie Nketiah came into the team. It is likely that Jesus will be brought back into the team, as the Gunners look a much more dangerous attacking force when he is on the pitch. This season, he has contributed seven goals and three assists across all competitions. Although he has missed time with injury, he will have expected to have done much better. This weekend gives him a chance to start 2024 with a bang.

Darwin

The challenge over the next few weeks is to replace the talismanic qualities of Mohamed Salah. It is likely that Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota will share the minutes, with none of them having been able to nail down Klopp’s full trust. However, Nunez remains the one with the highest ceiling. His movement in the final third is excellent and due to this, he gets plenty of big chances. His conversion rate needs to improve, but it doesn’t take a lot to see why he is highly rated in the game. It is difficult to get chances at the rate he does. This is the latest big chance for Nunez to secure a first team spot in attack. He needs to take it.

Team News

Oleksandr Zinchenko could make his return this weekend, but Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey remain on the sidelines. Fabio Vieira should be back available in January, while Takehiro Tomiyasu and Mohamed Elneny are both away on international duty.

Dominik Szoboszlai will be missing for a few weeks with a thigh injury. Mohamed Salah and Wataru Endo are both on international duty. Kostas Tsimikas, Joel Matip, Stefan Bajcetic and Andy Robertson all remain out.

Verdict

This should be more entertaining than the recent league game, as there is less pressure on both sides. The FA Cup won’t be a priority for either at this stage, which should lead to more freedom for the players. There will be rotation on both sides and it could be home advantage that gets a positive result for Arsenal. They need a win more than Liverpool to boost their confidence.