Liverpool have offered very little in the second half, they haven't been given the opportunity to.

Mohamed Salah lays the ball off for Naby Keita, who blazes over from outside the box.

Liverpool are looking to have a spell of possession, aiming to take the sting out of the game.

The more frantic it gets, the more Villa will fancy their chances.

Being able to name a consistent starting XI has been one of the keys to Arsenal's success this season, but Mikel Arteta has been forced to replace Gabriel Jesus - a key cog - after the striker suffered a knee injury playing for Brazil at the World Cup.

As expected, Eddie Nketiah is tasked with filling the void and has been given a first Premier League start of the season.

Left-back Kieran Tierney starts with Oleksandr Zinchenko on the bench, while France defender William Saliba plays after being on the bench during the World Cup final eight days ago.

Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tierney, Partey, Odegaard, Xhaka, Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli.

West Ham had selection worries up front but it turns out Michail Antonio - who has had a calf injury - is fit to start.

That's one of two changes from the Hammers' previous Premier League game - the defeat by Leicester six weeks ago - with centre-back Kurt Zouma out following knee surgery.

Right-back Vladimir Coufal starts with Thilo Kehrer expected to move inside to centre-back.

West Ham XI: Fabianski, Coufal, Kehrer, Dawson, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Benrahma, Paqueta, Bowen, Antonio.

Double change from Jurgen Klopp.

Naby Keita and Harvey Elliott are on, Thiago and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain make way.

Villa come again, are Liverpool rattled?

John McGinn with a chance to shoot from the penalty spot but is crowded out.

Does Darwin Nunez have that striker's instinct?

Jordan Henderson loops a cross to the back post, the Uruguayan stands there as though he isn't expecting it.

The ball hits him on the head and rolls away.

Just ticked past the hour mark, who do you fancy now then?

Ollie Watkins has scored more goals against Liverpool (5) than against any other opponent in his Premier League career.

Whatever the Villa players worked on during the World Cup, it wasn't finishing.

Leon Bailey finds a pass 14 yards out but scuffs it horribly with his right peg.

Leon Bailey looks to pick out Ollie Watkins at the far post but overcooks it.

The Jamaica international has had a decent game today.

Of course he had, I finally took him out of my Fantasy team.

Mind you, I did put Darwin Nunez in though.

Villa just can't get the ball into the back of the net.

A swift team move reaches Lucas Digne, who cuts inside of Trent Alexander-Arnold but a meek shot is collected by Alisson.

It's been a cracking second half.

The much-improved Fabinho sizes one up from range, but curls it just wide of Robin Olsen's left-hand post.

Speedy Gonzalez!

Mohammed Salah is rapidddd, running from inside his own half all the way to the other end of the pitch but then runs out of steam, scuffing a shot at Robin Olsen.

The ball ricochets back off the chasing Douglas Luiz and rattles the foot of the post.

What a dart that was from Salah.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

Goal. NO!

The net ripples but Emi Buendia's effort is into the side-netting. Half the ground thought it was in.

Another chance notched by Villa, you know what that means? A Liverpool third is coming up.

Another chance goes begging for Villa, they could have had seven tonight.

This time John McGinn is wasteful at the far post, unable to sort himself out and then heading a weak effort into the hands of Alisson.

Right call too, VAR confirms.

He was off by a leg length.

What a start to the second half for Villa as Ollie Watkins converts with aplomb.

But he is flagged offside.