Liverpool

Liverpool make one change from Monday's dramatic 3-2 win at Newcastle United, with fit-again Alexis Mac Allister coming in for Curtis Jones.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Wirtz, Salah, Gakpo, Ekitike.

Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Bradley, Robertson, Chiesa, Jones, Elliott, Ngumoha.

Arsenal's new £60m signing Eberechi Eze is named on the bench for the blockbuster clash with Liverpool at Anfield, even though Bukayo Saka is out with a hamstring injury.

Gabriel Martinelli comes in, while captain Martin Odegaard is only fit enough to be a substitute after suffering a shoulder injury in the 5-0 win against Leeds United. Mikel Merino comes in.

Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Merino, Madueke, Gyokeres, Martinelli.

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Mosquera, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman, Harriman-Annous, Odegaard, Trossard, Eze, Nwaneri.

There are four games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Brighton v Man City - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Nottingham Forest v West Ham - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Liverpool v Arsenal (16:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Aston Villa v Crystal Palace (19:00)

Kick-off times 14:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction from the two 14:00 matches here

Get Liverpool v Arsenal here

And Aston Villa v Crystal Palace is here

My worry with Liverpool is exactly what Arne Slot talked about in pre-season. They're too defensively vulnerable.

They've already conceded four goals. Ibrahima Konate looks shot to pieces and has been all over the place in the last two games. He's been a great player in the past for Liverpool but right now he looks like a triallist.

If you're a Liverpool fan I guess the good thing is your side are still getting results. But if you want to win league titles you've got to be watertight and strong at the back, and I'm not so sure Liverpool are.

Liverpool got bullied by Newcastle. There's no reason why Arsenal can't bully them too. I've just got a sneaky feeling that Arsenal, bolstered by new signing Eberechi Eze, will exploit them.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

It's transfer deadline day tomorrow, with the window closing at 19:00 BST.

How would you assess your window? And if you think work still needs to be done, give us names of who should be brought in or let go.

Get in touch with your views here

RB Leipzig are targeting Liverpool and England U21s midfielder Harvey Elliott, 22, as a replacement for Xavi Simons but the German side remain reluctant to meet the Reds' asking price. (ESPN), external

Meanhwhile, Liverpool could make a move for Aston Villa and England midfielder Morgan Rogers, 23, should a transfer for Elliott materialise. (Football Insider), external

Brazil winger Rodrygo, 24, will remain at Real Madrid in this transfer window despite interest from a number of clubs including Liverpool and Arsenal. (Marca - in Spanish), external

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

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Uefa has confirmed the date and time for each of Liverpool's eight Champions League group stage matches:

• Liverpool v Atletico Madrid: Wednesday, 17 September - 20:00 BST

• Galatasaray v Liverpool: Tuesday, 30 September - 20:00 BST

• Eintracht Frankfurt v Liverpool: Wednesday, 22 October - 20:00 BST

• Liverpool v Real Madrid: Tuesday, 4 November, 20:00 GMT

• Liverpool v PSV Eindhoven: Wednesday 26 November - 20:00 GMT

• Inter Milan v Liverpool: Tuesday, 9 December - 20:00 GMT

• Marseille v Liverpool: Wednesday, 21 January - 20:00 GMT

• Liverpool v Qarabag: Wednesday, 28 January - 20:00 GMT

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

One of the Premier League's biggest rivalries resumes this weekend when champions Liverpool host last season's runners-up Arsenal. BBC Sport takes a look at some of the key themes as the title rivals prepare to face off.

Will defenders decide this game?

This fixture has seen 78 goals scored in the past 20 games - the most of any Premier League encounter since the start of 2015-16 - but how both teams defend may prove the deciding factor at Anfield on Sunday.

Liverpool have scored in 98% of their games under Arne Slot (39/40) - the highest percentage by any manager in Premier League history. However, a revamped backline has looked increasingly vulnerable so far this season.

The Reds had let a two-goal lead slip against 10-man Newcastle on Monday night - until 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha won the game in the 10th minute of stoppage time, and in doing so became the second-youngest player to score on his Premier League debut.

Liverpool have conceded four goals from just six shots on target so far this season, suggesting they are giving up an uncharacteristic number of high-quality chances. Only Leeds have conceded more often per shot on target than Slot's men in 2025-26. It took Liverpool nine league games to concede four goals last term.

Arsenal's threat from corners

While Liverpool are bedding in new arrival Milos Kerkez, and have lost fellow summer signing Jeremie Frimpong to a hamstring injury, Arsenal's settled defence – founded on the formidable centre-half pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba – are yet to concede a goal in two Premier League matches.

The Gunners' rearguard effort at Old Trafford on the opening weekend was crucial to a 1-0 win against Manchester United.

Should Arsenal keep things tight at Anfield, a favoured weapon could be enough to settle the outcome. Mikel Arteta's side have scored 33 goals from corners since the start of 2023-24 - at least 10 more than any other side in the top five European leagues.

The Gunners have also scored from a corner in their past three games and will have done so in four for the first time if they do so again at Anfield.

And while much focus may be on the recruitment of marquee forwards Viktor Gyokeres and Hugo Ekitike, keep an eye out for Jurrien Timber. The Arsenal full-back has scored two goals and assisted three in his past five Premier League starts.

In the 5-0 win over Leeds, Timber became the first defender to score two goals and get an assist in a Premier League fixture in more than a decade.

Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter

It feels like there has been a shift on Tyneside. In so many ways.

Following so many setbacks in their search for a striker, Nick Woltemade is now having a medical before completing a club record move to Newcastle United.

And it does not sound like Newcastle are finished yet.

The Mapgies remain active in the market and Eddie Howe said on Friday morning that there was an opportunity to "maybe improve the squad further", which pointed to the club at least exploring the possibility of signing an additional centre-forward.

Whereas the prospect of Newcastle landing one striker once felt like a real challenge going into the final days of the window, now - suddenly - the club have momentum.

That could, in turn, have a knock-on effect on the Alexander Isak saga.

It was just last week that Newcastle did not envisage the "conditions of sale being met" to allow Isak to join Liverpool – namely recruiting two quality strikers and the champions returning to make an improved bid to actually give the club a decision to make.

But could that now change?

Howe reiterated that Isak could still be reintegrated, but the Newcastle head coach's tone surrounding the striker was noticeably different on Friday as he said "you can't just be oblivious to things that have happened" in reference to the Sweden international's conduct.

One way or another, this is going to be a frantic end to the window.

• Find and follow your Premier League team on BBC Sport

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Arsenal at Anfield (16:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Slot confirmed he has no new injury concerns before the visit of the Gunners. Conor Bradley has trained the whole week after making his first appearance of the season as a substitute against Newcastle and Alexis Mac Allister has also trained and is available after missing the the trip to St James' Park. Virgil van Dijk is "OK" after the tackle that saw Anthony Gordon sent off.

• When asked if the Magpies' reported signings of Nick Woltemade could open the door for a move for Alexander Isak, Slot said: "If Newcastle sign a new number nine its very nice for Eddie because Gordon is suspended and Isak has not been training with the team."

• Asked if the Reds could make more additions before Monday's deadline, Slot offered: "We try to sign players that can help but there's no reason after the first two games to complain or to think we need more. If we can strengthen we will always try to do this if it is the right money and the right player."

• On the challenge posed by the Gunners: "Including Bilbao (pre-season friendly) we have conceded four goals from set-pieces and we are facing a team who's strength is set-pieces. The playing style of Arsenal has not changed a lot with the new signings coming in. A different number nine this season. I see a lot of similarities between their team last season in terms of style."

• On not dropping points to a title rival: "I would be surprised if there will be a points record and a team gets more than 100 points because of the strength in the league. So you are able to drop a few points and still be competitive. But the best thing is not to drop points."

• Slot is happy with the impact made so far by summer signing Hugo Ekitike who has scored three goals in three games. He said: "He has made a big impact on our attacking, not just scoring goals but starting attacks. That is a bit more than last season. The most simple answer to what he can improve is his match fitness. So I expect him to do a lot more off the ball."

• On Florian Wirtz, who was quiet against Newcastle: "We only had 40% ball in play against Newcastle so for them to have a lot of touches is quite hard and when the ball was in play it was in the air. It is not the first time we have played this playing style and we know we can do better."

• Slot said youngster Rio Ngumoha has a "fair chance of playing" on Sunday: "It is the beauty of football that although we have spent a lot there is still room for him and he can show his quality. As things stand there is still room for him to show that in the upcoming game as well."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Liverpool are considering a move for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, 25, with the Eagles valuing the England defender at £45m ahead of Monday's deadline. (Express), external

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

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

Based on the average Uefa coefficient of their opponents, PSV Eindhoven have been handed the toughest draw in the league phase. Not only do they face the champions of England, Germany and Italy – Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Napoli – but they will also play two of the top three seeds from Pot 2 in Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico Madrid.

Manchester City and Liverpool have also been given a fairly tough gauntlet of games, with both sides drawn against 15-time winners Real Madrid. Pep Guardiola's side will also play Bayer Leverkusen and Napoli as well as two of the top seeds from Pot 4 in Galatasaray and Monaco. Arne Slot's side will play last year's finalists Inter and Atletico Madrid.

Atalanta will likely be the happiest club following the draw after being given the most favourable fixtures. While they do have to face champions Paris St-Germain and Club World Cup champions Chelsea, they were also drawn against the two lowest seeds in Pot 2 – Eintracht Frankfurt and Club Brugge – as well as two of the three lowest seeds in Pot 3 in Slavia Prague and Marseille.

Both north London clubs should also be fairly happy with the draw. While they do have to play Bayern Munich, Inter and Atletico Madrid, Arsenal were otherwise drawn against low-seeded teams in Pots 2, 3 and 4, including Celtic's Kazakh conquerors Kairat Almaty. Tottenham also received favourable draws in terms of opponents from Pots 2 and 3, avoiding the likes of Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid and Napoli.

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

If Liverpool are to make the knockout stages of the Champions League this season, then they will have to do it the hard way.

Both Madrid clubs, last season's beaten finalists and a trip to the cauldron that is Galatasaray.

Real Madrid - managed by former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso - is the most eye-catching tie for the Premier League champions, while the visit of Atletico Madrid will pose an altogether different challenge for Arne Slot's team.

Summer signing Hugo Ekitike will return to his former club Eintracht Frankfurt which will be a huge occasion for the French striker, while Slot will head back to Holland where his team face Feyenoord.

Marseille and Qarabag will not fill Liverpool with huge dread.

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool's Champions League draw is complete and Arne Slot's side now know which eight clubs they will meet in the 36-team league format, which was used for the first time last season.

The Champions League fixture list with match dates and kick-off times will be published no later than Saturday, 30 August.

The Reds will face:

Real Madrid (h),

Inter Milan (a)

Atletico Madrid (h)

Eintracht Frankfurt (a)

PSV Eindhoven (h)

Marseille (a)

Qarabag (h)

Galatasaray (a)

Champions League group phase dates:

Matchday 1: 16–18 September 2025

Matchday 2: 30 September–1 October 2025

Matchday 3: 21-22 October 2025

Matchday 4: 4-5 November 2025

Matchday 5: 2-26 November 2025

Matchday 6: 9-10 December 2025

Matchday 7: 20-21 January 2026

Matchday 8: 28 January 2026

Champions League knockout stage dates:

Knockout phase play-offs: 17-18 and 24-25 February 2026

Round of 16: 10-11 and 17-18 March 2026

Quarter-finals: 7-8 and 14-15 April 2026

Semi-finals: 28-29 April and 5-6 May 2026

Final: 30 May 2026, Budapest

See how the rest of the draw played out

Image source, Getty Images

There are six Premier League teams in this season's Champions League.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham are about to find out who they will face in the league phase of the 2025-26 competition.

Follow it all unfold here

Image source, Forest Green Rovers FC

Forest Green Rovers have signed midfielder James Balagizi on a season-long loan from Liverpool.

The 21-year-old, who has been with the Premier League champions since the age of 11, has had previous spells on loan with Wigan, Crawley and Kilmarnock and Forest Green say he can play across the midfield.