Few fixtures in English football carry the weight, history, and drama of Arsenal versus Liverpool, and Thursday night’s Premier League showdown looks primed to deliver another memorable chapter.
Remarkably, this will be the first time the two sides have met in a Premier League match on a Thursday. Their last league encounter on this day of the week dates all the way back to December 1947 at Anfield, adding another layer of intrigue to an already mouth-watering contest.
Liverpool chasing another league double over Arsenal
From Arsenal’s perspective, the omens are not particularly comforting. Liverpool have won four of their last five Premier League away matches played on a Thursday, with their only blemish being a heavy defeat to Manchester City in July 2020.
Historically, Liverpool have also been one of Arsenal’s toughest opponents. The Gunners have lost 26 Premier League games against the Reds—joint-most alongside Manchester United. Liverpool now have the chance to complete a league double over Arsenal for the eighth time, which would extend their record as the club to have achieved the most doubles against the North London side. Their last such success came in the 2021/22 campaign.
The fixture pits first against fourth, with Manchester City and Aston Villa sitting between the two sides on 43 points, five adrift of Mikel Arteta’s league leaders. While the chasing pack looms large, Arteta’s message is expected to be simple: keep winning and let the rest take care of itself.
Szoboszlai eyeing rare Liverpool milestone
Liverpool edged the reverse fixture earlier this season, handing Arsenal their first league defeat of the campaign with a 1-0 victory at Anfield. Dominik Szoboszlai was the difference, curling home a stunning second-half free-kick.
The Hungarian midfielder also registered an assist in the previous league meeting back in May 2025. Should he either score or assist again on Thursday, Szoboszlai would become the first Liverpool player since Sadio Mané in March 2017 to be involved in goals in three consecutive Premier League matches against Arsenal.
Arne Slot’s side are unbeaten in the last three league meetings between the teams, dating back to February 2024, giving Arsenal plenty of motivation to settle the score on home soil.
Two in-form sides collide
Arsenal head into the contest aiming for a sixth straight league win, while Liverpool arrive unbeaten in six, underlining the quality and momentum both sides bring into this heavyweight clash.
For the hosts, Leandro Trossard and Viktor Gyökeres are joint top scorers with five league goals apiece, while Declan Rice has also played a crucial role with four strikes from midfield. Yet Arsenal’s attacking threat extends well beyond that trio.
Bukayo Saka, for instance, has scored in each of his last three home league appearances against Liverpool. No Arsenal player has ever managed to score in four consecutive home league games against the Reds, a record Saka will be eager to challenge.
On the opposite flank, Gabriel Martinelli has been a consistent thorn in Liverpool’s side, contributing to six goals (four goals, two assists) in his last seven league meetings with them—his best return against any Premier League opponent.
Liverpool’s late drama and London specialist
Liverpool’s standout scorer this season has been Hugo Ekitike, who has found the net eight times and opened the scoring on three occasions. However, the Frenchman remains a doubt due to a hamstring problem and has yet to return to training, putting his involvement in serious doubt.
That could open the door once again for Cody Gakpo, who has developed a fondness for scoring in the capital. All three of his away league goals this season have come in London, against Chelsea, West Ham and Fulham. Another strike would see him become only the second Liverpool player—after Mohamed Salah—to score in four different away league matches in London during a single Premier League campaign.
Liverpool’s games have also been must-watch for neutrals. Only Burnley have seen more goals scored in the 90th minute or later this season than the Reds, whose matches have produced nine such late goals so far.
A fixture that rarely disappoints
Arsenal have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 20 Premier League meetings with Liverpool, stretching back to a goalless draw in August 2015. Only against Manchester United and Tottenham have the Gunners endured longer league runs without a shutout.
At the Emirates, however, Arsenal remain formidable. They are unbeaten in 10 home league matches this season, winning nine and drawing one, while Liverpool’s away record stands at four wins, two draws and four defeats. The Reds have not lost a league away game since November, when they fell to Manchester City.
Arsenal have also won their last seven Premier League matches at home, with only one longer streak under Arteta—10 consecutive wins between April and December 2022.
All signs point towards a high-quality, high-stakes encounter between two of the league’s heavyweights—exactly the kind of game that defines a Premier League classic.
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