Mikel Arteta could make numerous changes to the starting lineup when Arsenal face Liverpool. Following a disappointing defeat to Fleetwood Town in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Tuesday night, the Gunners will be determined to put the upset behind them and return to winning ways.

Speaking to reporters at the Sobha Realty Training Centre on Friday afternoon, Arteta previewed what could later prove to be a Premier League title race-defining clash. The Spaniard said: "I think all the top clubs are certainly title challengers, and it's so early in the season.

"When you look at the squad, the manager they have and the history, for sure that is. We expect a big game on Sunday. We are looking forward to it, for sure. It's 14 years that we haven't won there, so it's time to do it."

Arsenal haven't beaten Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League since September 2012, when Arsene Wenger enjoyed a 2-0 win over Brendan Rodgers. Arteta said: "It's an opportunity.

Make sure you never miss the latest Arsenal news and opinion by making Football London one of your Google preferred sources.

"I mean, I came here and in many places we were 20, 22 years, 18 years without winning, and we've been doing all these things. So on Sunday, that's the opportunity that we have."

So, with that being said, journalists at football.london have selected the Arsenal starting lineup to face Liverpool.

Ryan Taylor

Injuries and availability are likely to shape Mikel Arteta's team selection at Anfield. David Raya will obviously start in goal. At right-back, I would go with Jurrien Timber for defensive solidity as he'll be strong 1v1 against Cody Gakpo, a player he knows well, or Bradley Barcola.

At the back, unsurprisingly Ezri Konsa and Gabriel Magalhaes will start and then much depends on Riccardo Calafiori's fitness at left-back. If he's fit, he starts but if not, Piero Hincapie is an adequate replacement.

In midfield, I'd go with Declan Rice and Bruno Guimaraes while there is some debate about how Arsenal could line-up in attack. Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres were both poor against Fleetwood and I'd consider starting Mikel Merino as a make-shift striker.

He scored twice in two games against Liverpool in 2024/25 and he's smart enough to occupy the Reds backline while posing a threat from set-pieces. Having Havertz and Gyokeres in a hungry mood, looking to prove a point, could be good to have from the bench, too.

Behind Merino, Noni Madueke, Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze should start. All three will have to be on song if Arsenal are to get anything from the game.

Taylor's Arsenal XI vs Liverpool: Raya; Timber, Gabriel, Konsa, Calafiori; Rice, Guimaraes; Madueke, Odegaard, Eze; Merino.

Jake Stokes

With so many players still recovering from little knocks and a bit of fatigue, Mikel Arteta will wrap his players in cotton wool when they travel up to Merseyside. If Arsenal were not set to play a potential Premier League title contender, and had they not just lost to Fleetwood Town in the Carabao Cup, the Spaniard would probably keep a couple of his big names on ice...

But the Gunners can't afford to leave Anfield with anything less than three points. So, as always, it should go without saying that unless there's an injury or suspension, David Raya must remain between the sticks for the foreseeable future, regardless of the competition or opposition.

Assuming Riccardo Calafiori makes it through the final training session on Saturday, he should be one of four changes to the backline. Declan Rice and Myles Lewis-Skelly should resume duties in the middle of the park, assuming the former passes a late fitness test too.

Arteta would have every right to start Mikel Merino up top, but Kai Havertz usually relishes the big occasion, and a marquee fixture could be exactly what he needs to shift back into gear.

As for the wide options, providing Noni Madueke comes through the final training session unscathed, he should start on the right with Eberechi Eze on the left. If the former Chelsea winger falls short, Viktor Gyokeres will probably have to do a shift as Christos Tzolis has only just returned to action following a long spell out.

Stokes' starting XI vs Liverpool: David Raya; Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel Magalhaes, Ezri Konsa, Ben White; Declan Rice, Myles Lewis-Skelly; Eberechi Eze, Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke; Kai Havertz.