Liverpool faces a major test of its Premier League title credentials as it takes on Arsenal today, with Andoni Iraola facing some big calls in his side, especially with fresh doubts over Jeremy Jacquet

If Liverpool is going to be a serious title contender this season, then today feels like the biggest test of its credentials.

Andoni Iraola’s side hosts Arsenal at Anfield, with the Reds looking to move back into the Premier League’s top four and, more significantly, move to within three points of the defending champions.

The past few days have seen Liverpool’s title hopes being talked up as Iraola’s influence begins to take hold. The Spaniard may be keen to play down any of that sort of chat at this early stage, but there’ll be nothing he can do to prevent it should his team claim its biggest victory yet later.

That will be a big ask against Mikel Arteta’s side, which will be aiming to bounce straight back after its shock defeat to Fleetwood in the Carabao Cup during the week.

To absolutely no one’s surprise, the likes of Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori look to have been passed fit after missing that game, although Gunners talisman Bukayo Saka will be missing, which may just give the Reds a little more hope.

Liverpool though has its own doubts, and the absence of Jeremy Jacquet from training on Friday will have left supporters feeling more than a little nervous.

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The 21-year-old has been a revelation since arriving from Rennes, and there’s no doubt he gets into Liverpool’s strongest team now. He was pictured at the AXA Training Centre earlier in the day in his training gear, so it is possible that he may have been undergoing a recovery session away from the rest of his teammates.

Fingers crossed that is the case, and with no official word on whether he’s carrying some sort of knock, we’re going to throw him into his usual position alongside Virgil van Dijk, with Ronald Araujo and Milos Kerkez either side of them as Alisson Becker returns in goal after his rest in midweek.

There will be a serious question hanging over the midfield after that game against Chelsea, with Trey Nyoni making a real case to get the nod over Ryan Gravenberch, who struggled.

Gravenberch’s experience may give him the edge for now, so we’ll start him alongside Alexis Mac Allister, with the game looking like it may come too soon for Dominik Szoboszlai to make a return considering he was also missing from training on Friday.

Further forward, Florian Wirtz starts, and hopefully today will be the day when he really announces himself to the Premier League, having improved in recent outings. Either side of him is Cody Gakpo and Bradley Barcola, although Rio Ngumoha could just as easily be given the nod.

And up front is Alexander Isak. Considering Arsenal still hasn’t found that out-and-out goalscorer to lead the line, hopefully the Swedish star could prove to be the difference between the two sides.

Liverpool predicted line-up vs Arsenal: Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Barcola, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak.