Guy Mowbray
BBC Match of the Day commentator

Many say it's the game of the weekend, and in terms of goals it's got every chance of living up to that.

With all three of Arsenal's first choice centre backs ruled out, it will be a difficult test for 21-year-olds Calum Chambers and Rob Holding - with the latter set for his Premier League debut against the team that has scored more goals in the competition this year than any other.

Liverpool's new signings have blended well in pre-season and only increased their goal threat - but the Reds don't look great shakes at the back either, and Arsenal have been in good goalscoring form in their warm-up games.

Who's going 0-0?

Just under 10 minutes to kick-off at the Emirates Stadium. It is glorious and sunny, the ground has filled up nicely, the water sprinklers are on and we are just waiting for the players. A lot of fans seem to be on their phones. Are they following this live text commentary, or are they playing Pokemon Go? Who can say, but I think I just saw Pikachu wander past.

Image source, PA

Right, let's focus properly on football business. We've a couple of 15:00 BST EFL games to bring you up to date with. It's 0-0 between Cardiff and QPR in the Championship, and you can follow that game live here.

In League One, it's Bristol Rovers 1-1 Oxford as we approach half-time there. No dedicated live text commentary on that one, I'm afraid, much to the disppointment of the Oxford fan sitting about three feet away from me.

Image source, AFP

If you did miss Farah's victory because you were sleeping, by the way, and you live in the UK and want to watch an Arsenal supporter winning gold, you can. Because we're good like that at the BBC. Here you go.

Jack Wilshere's on the bench today for Arsenal, as he is only just recovering from a knee problem, but he has found time to offer congratulations to Mo Farah. 

The British middle-distance runner, a Gunners fan, won Olympic gold in the 10,000 metres when I suspect many of you were in bed.

Brace yourself for a play on words....

The fact that Klopp does not consider Arsenal's defending their strong point is a sign of how much has changed at the club during Arsene Wenger's tenure.

Let's not forget that in the hit British comedy The Full Monty - released in 1997, the year after Wenger's appointment - our unemployed steelworker heroes learned their dance routine by mirroring the Arsenal offside trap. There's a gag that wouldn't work today.

Image source, Getty Images

Klopp has suggested that the way for Liverpool to succeed this afternoon will be to attack Arsenal's relatively inexperienced defence.

"We saw their pre-season win against Manchester City but it was only a pre-season game," he says. "We played them a few times in the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund, and you need to force everything you can. 

"You need to force them to do what they hate to do. They are an attacking team, but defending is not their hobby. So we have to be offensive too. We have to be brave."

I'm intrigued by the idea of defending as a hobby. I suspect it would have been listed among George Graham's list of favourite pastimes when he was Arsenal manager.

Liverpool played a total of nine games in pre-season, winning six and losing three. The highlight for them was undoubtedly a 4-0 victory over Barcelona at Wembley eight days ago.

Manager Jurgen Klopp, appointed last October, has had the benefit of a full pre-season with his squad this time around - or close to a full pre-season as a Premier League manager can get after a major international tournament.

"I never thought about the complication from starting in October last time," he says. "Now we’ve had a pre-season. But all the other teams had a pre-season too so they should all be in good shape."

Wenger also plays minus an out-and-out centre-forward - a legacy of the failure to capture Vardy, perhaps - with Alexis Sanchez asked to fulfil the striker's role.

"I’m not too concerned about that," Wenger says. "Sanchez and Walcott can play through the middle. We have other options in Iwobi and Ramsey. I’m not too worried.

"Our game is based on intelligence, movement and technical quality."

The Gunners did have a very decent pre-season, though, winning four out of five friendlies, a run that included a victory over Manchester City in Gothenburg seven days ago. 

Here are the pre-match thoughts of Arsene Wenger: "It’s a big test for our first game because Liverpool had a good pre-season. We are a bit short defensively. We have to defend well together.

"I was a bit concerned defensively, not about the quality, but the experience. We have been hit hard."

As Lawro mentions, Arsenal were very quiet in the transfer market over the summer - and not for the first time either.

Arsene Wenger failed in his attempt to sign Jamie Vardy from Leicester, so the biggest arrival of the close season has been Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka for around £30m from Borussia Monchengladbach. Xhaka is only on the bench today.

Mark Lawrenson
BBC football expert

Arsenal fans are already complaining about their side's lack of signings and they are currently short of fit centre-halves.

Liverpool have injury problems too and I think both sides would take a point here.

Prediction: 1-1

Lawro's full predictions v indie band Blossoms

The youthful pairing of Holding and Chambers in central defence has been called into action because because Per Mertesacker and Gabriel are injured, and Laurent Koscielny is not yet up to speed, having been given a break after helping France reach last month's Euro 2016 final.

Liverpool are without Daniel Sturridge in attack - he is struggling with hip and thigh problems - while James Milner is unavailable in midfield because of an ankle problem. There's a place on the bench for 17-year-old midfielder Trent Alexander-Arnold.

It will be 20 years next month since Arsene Wenger was appointed Arsenal manager. Way back at the tail end of September 1996, John Major was Prime Minister, and the Fugees were at number one with Ready Or Not.

Arsenal's Rob Holding, signed from Bolton in the summer, starts at centre-back alongside Calum Chambers.

As for Liverpool there are debuts for Gini Wijnaldum, Sadio Mane and Ragnar Klavan.

Image source, Getty Images

It's Arsenal v Liverpool from the Emirates Stadium in around an hour's time. While Liverpool are seeking to improve significantly on last season's eighth-place finish, Arsenal are aiming to build-up on their runners-up spot. 

As far as their manager Arsene Wenger is concerned, that means being more clinical in front of goal. 

"That's one of the domains where last year we were not the most efficient," he said. "We were the highest team in expected chances created. We were the highest team in quality of chances created in the final third."

"I think the best way is starting perfect, being in the middle fantastic and having a world-class finish."

Those were the words of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, when asked this weekend about the best way to approach the season. No time for dawdling in the starting blocks. Klopp wants his team to get up and running as quickly as Usain Bolt - then keep that going for nine months...

Good afternoon. We've got a big one for you on the Premier League's opening weekend.

Image source, Reuters