Arsenal

Arsenal will be looking to make amends for their Premier League defeat by Bournemouth, while Liverpool face another tough test against a potential title rival when they go to Emirates Stadium on Sunday, having beaten Chelsea last weekend.

As the two teams prepare to go head to head on the pitch, we have asked our fan contributors for each club to go head to head off it.

Each fan was asked where the showdown might be won and lost.

Here is what Harry Symeou from Chronicles of a Gooner, external thought...

And this is what Josh Sexton from The Anfield Wrap, external had to say...

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Mikel Arteta's personality being brought into the conversation of ill-discipline at Arsenal is interesting.

We don't actually see him on a day-to-day basis so we don't know what he is like. Post-match interviews are probably one of the hardest parts of their job because emotions are high.

I don't believe Arsenal have a discipline problem. To me, that would mean a large number of yellow cards per season and players missing games because of those accumulations - not a player who might see red once a season.

Declan Rice was sent off a few weeks back and it was his first career red card, and Leandro Trossard's is a similar tale. This time it is William Saliba, but he very rarely misses games through suspension.

Mistakes can be made and so far this season they have just been instances where players would probably do it differently if they could rewind the clock.

Arteta should not be telling his players to calm down because there has not been a red card - yet - that signifies a discipline issue.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford

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It appears that Arsenal have no plans to appeal the decision of the red card that William Saliba picked up against Bournemouth on Saturday and there are very few fixtures that are worse for the 23 year-old to miss than Sunday's clash against Liverpool.

It is bad enough to lose any player for such a crucial game, but the absence of a player of Saliba's calibre and importance adds salt to the wound.

The cold hard facts show that Saliba makes Arsenal a much better team. With the Frenchman in the side, they concede less than a goal per game on average in the Premier League. Without him, the amount they let in doubles.

The 1.6 goals per game Arsenal have conceded without Saliba in the team is almost identical to the number that Manchester United conceded in the top-flight last season (1.5 per game). Erik ten Hag's men were criticised by most for their leaky defence - yet they still conceded less on average than an Arsenal side without the 'Rolls-Royce' defender.

Saliba played every single minute in Arsenal's title push last season, helping the Gunners to achieve the best defensive record in the division.

Since his debut, the only time we have seen Arsenal in the Premier League without Saliba is that infamous 11-match run at the end of the 2022-23 season.

The Gunners lost three and drew three matches in the opening 27 matches of his maiden campaign. In the final 11 matches, a Saliba-less Arsenal also lost three and drew three matches and handed the title to Manchester City on the final day.

There is no doubt that Arsenal are a more complete team than they were in 2022-23, and may react to Saliba's absence more positively - but they also face much stiffer competition.

The 12th match without Saliba could be the most significant yet.

Do you think Saliba is your most important player, Arsenal fans? Or do you think another player is more crucial to the Gunners?

Let us know your thoughts here, external

As Arsenal gear up to host Liverpool on Sunday, former Premier League defender Nedum Onuoha has been speaking about the Gunners' start to the season and the "ups and downs" he believes Mikel Arteta's side will face.

Speaking on BBC Sounds' Planet Premier League podcast, Onuoha said: "I think Arteta understands the importance of the start to the season, but I think he understands more so the way that they could potentially finish it.

"I think that throughout the year there will be ups and downs - and maybe this is, relatively, their down. If this is where they are with that down, then I wouldn't be too concerned.

"I think the disappointment after losing to Bournemouth is going to be big, but I think the fact that they are going to face the test against Liverpool and, weirdly, at home they will possibly feel a bit like the underdog - I think that suits who they want to be in this particular moment.

"I think the crowd will be well up for it. I think the players will be as well.

"And if they do manage to win this game, then it is a boost that they probably didn't think they would need at this time, but the belief would be there 100%."

Listen to the latest episode here

Arsenal got the job done in the Champions League on Tuesday, edging out Shakhtar Donetsk.

Catch up on the best of the action below.

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John Hartson has been speaking on the latest BBC Sacked in the Morning podcast about the "wonderful manager" Arsene Wenger was, and the impact he had on many players' careers.

Hartson was at the Gunners when Wenger joined in 1996 and he spoke about what the Frenchman did when he joined, stating: "He came in and changed literally everything - changed the food, the diet - eat slow he would say to the players."

Wenger would then take the players on a 25 minute run in the morning to remove lactic acid out of their legs and follow on from this by doing a group stretch, which he would demonstrate himself.

"We’d all have to stretch, stretching was massive," Hartson added.

"Before he came it was let’s go for liquid lunch. Tony Adams, Eddie McGoldrick, Wrighty, Merson, all the boys, we’d all just go for a liquid lunch.

"To this day Tony Adams, Ray Parlour, some of the older boys, Ian Wright, Paul Merson, David Seaman… they would all say Arsene put a couple of years on their careers. And they were all big earners so he would’ve put a couple of million on their careers. Just listening to Arsene, taking all his methods, his guidance."

Despite Wenger wanting the former Wales striker to remain at the club, Hartson left in 1997 because Harry Redknapp wanted him at West Ham.

"Honest Harry King of the Jungle was on the phone desperate to take me to West Ham. Desperate - he offered me the world," said Hartson.

The striker ended the 1997-98 season as the Hammers' top scorer and was only three goals off winning the Premier League golden boot, but Hartson joked about what happened after his transfer away from the Gunners: "I left Arsenal in 97 and then in 98 they done the double - so that was a good decision wasn’t it?"

Listen to the full episode here

Aston Villa are set to offer 20-year-old Polish goalkeeper Oliwier Zych a new contract, amid reported interest from Arsenal and Brighton. (Football Insider), external

Arsenal and Barcelona are both firmly interested in 20-year-old Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran, with the Gunners thought to be better placed to sign him. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer news? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Arsenal have shown they have the mentality to bounce back from setbacks after they beat Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League following their Premier League loss at Bournemouth.

The Gunners did not put in their best performance of the season but managed to find a way to get a crucial three points which put them in the strong position in the Champions League table.

However, injury issues are starting to mount.

Mikel Arteta was already without Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, arguably the two most important players in his Arsenal side.

Jurrien Timber, who has shown his quality in his performances this season, is struggling for fitness as he tries to get back to 100% after missing the majority of last season with a knee injury.

Against Shakhtar, Riccardo Calafiori was the latest player to go down with an injury and Arteta described that as "not great news".

Arsenal are hoping to challenge for the title for the third season in a row, but if they cannot get their squad fit then eventually it will catch up with them.

Oleksandr Zinchenko is another player who has struggled for fitness, and academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly came on ahead of him at left-back on Tuesday.

Arteta will have to think of a gameplan to contain a Liverpool side who are full of confidence and top of the Premier League table going into this weekend's fixtures.

Perhaps it will be time to start highly rated youngster Ethan Nwaneri, but Arteta prides himself on Arsenal being solid and, at the moment, his main backline is depleted.

William Saliba is suspended for the match on Sunday and the possibility of being without Calafiori with Timber means it is going to be a huge challenge for the Gunners to get a result.

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Mikel Arteta hopes the fans will give his depleted Arsenal side "energy" on Sunday when they host Liverpool in the Premier League.

The Gunners boss will be without the suspended William Saliba, as well as several key players who are sidelined through injury.

"It's always great and important to win in the Champions League," Arteta said following Tuesday's victory over Shakhtar Donetsk.

"We start with the preparations [for Sunday] and the place has to be rocking here against Liverpool to give us all the possible energy that they can."

Liverpool sit top of the table, with seven wins in eight under new manager Arne Slot, one point ahead of Manchester City but four clear of Arsenal.

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We asked for your thoughts after Tuesday's Champions League game between Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk.

Here are some of your comments:

MJS: Awful, lacklustre, devoid of creativity. It just shows who are the creative geniuses in our team. Kai Havertz was excellent with zero service. A better team would have punished us.

Ugochukwu: Arsenal look worse than the previous season and have just been grinding out results. The beauty is fading fast. Hopefully, the returns of Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber and later, Martin Odegaard, will help improve performances and results. The red cards have not helped either.

Jay: A functional performance that lacked cutting edge. Can't dismiss a win in the Champions League but I'd like to see better end product in front of goal.

Craig: That was a drab performance - it's like we've lost our killer instinct. And substituting Ben White, as we are so ill-disciplined at the moment and scared we'll get another red card... it is a bit of a joke.

Ivor: Very poor. Yet again started well but unable to make it count. I think we will rue not signing a striker.

Jim: Terrible performance. Why does Mikel Arteta think Gabriel Jesus is the answer still? Look at his record - he’s not good enough. He should have played Ethan Nwaneri. It was a perfect game for him.

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Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton says Arsenal are showing they can fight on two fronts but he questions the "cost" of that with Riccardo Calafiori the latest player to pick up an injury.

Reflecting on the narrow victory over Shakhtar Donetsk, Sutton told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast: "Going into this game it was all about responding to the loss at Bournemouth but the missed chances will be really frustrating for Mikel Arteta.

"Gabriel Jesus does so many good things within the game but his finishing has let him down for a number of seasons now.

"But it is still a really positive result. They have had a good start to their Champions League campaign, but I suppose the question is at what cost?

"Calafiori had that awkward fall and Arteta decided to bring him off. He will be a massive miss and with William Saliba suspended, that will be a worry going into the game at the weekend.

"It is such an intense period and they are missing key players in different parts of the pitch."

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Arsenal and Brighton are interested in Aston Villa's 21-year-old Poland Under-21 goalkeeper Oliwier Zych. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Meanwhile, Gunners Under-18s coach Jack Wilshere, 32, will join Norwich as first-team coach this week after the two clubs agreed a compensation fee for the former midfielder. (Standard), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live after Arsenal's win: "It's such an intense period.

"Injuries puts pressure on the squad. Arsenal are missing key players such as Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard.

"It was the way Riccardo Calafiori fell. When he went down again, you think there's something there. It is so unfortunate as he's been brilliant since he came to Arsenal. He can play in the midfield role, he has the awareness for that.

"Calafiori will be a massive loss at the weekend. Arsenal need to find a way of muddling their way through.

"Tonight it is job done. There will be disappointment as Mikel Arteta would have liked things easier, but this is top level Champions League football.

"Arsenal are still a force."

Ex-Gunners defender Matthew Upson added: "It's the Champions League. You win at home and keep a clean sheet, it's a positive result.

"Arsenal would've wanted to go clearer than that 1-0 lead and whenever you miss that amount of chances, the opposition gains momentum. But David Raya and defence answered the questions and stayed really solid.

"But that's gonna wear thin eventually. Arsenal fans will be thinking their team will need to step it up to keep up with Liverpool and Manchester City.

"There were holes in that performance and quite a lot of questions they'll have to answer."

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta speaking to TNT Sports: "Very pleased with the result. Always difficult in the Champions League.

"We should've scored more in first half and the second half I felt a bit of fatigue. Playing 60 minutes with 10 men a few days ago is difficult. We left the game a bit open but we dug in for three points."

On penalty miss: "I don't know if that was related to fatigue. Credit to Shakhtar, they are brave. When you give them time on the ball and you lose the ball you will suffer. I don't know [why Kai Havertz didn't take the penalty]. He is one of the takers but Leo took it."

On Gabriel Martinelli: "He was really good. Looked really sharp tonight. You could see he was fresh after not starting at the weekend."

On David Raya: "We haven't conceded much but we need him in those moments. Really confident, connected with the team and in great shape."

On other injuries: "[Bukayo] Saka not training yet so he won't be available and Ricci [Calafiori] felt something and could not stay on. Bit of a worry."

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Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli speaking to TNT Sports: "Most important thing is to win. We knew how tough they are and we came here to win the game and we did it.

"We wanted to score more but we won the game and that's the most important thing."

On Trossard penalty miss: "He could have scored but we are behind him, supporting him. We know his quality and we go again. I'm sure he's going to play well in the next game."

On the goal: "It was my goal! It doesn't matter if it was mine or an own goal, the most important thing is the win and we are really happy.

On bouncing back: "Tricky. We've lost some players but we know our qualities and that it's tough to play in the Champions League.

"We didn't have a good result in the last game in the Premier League and we came here to win and we did just that."

On Raya's save: "We are lucky to have him here. Really happy for him to get that save."