Arsenal Defeat 'Minor Doomsday' at Anfield

LIVERPOOL, SATURDAY — For Arsenal last season, losing one player among Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Kai Havertz felt like a minor apocalypse. This season is different; "The Gunners" can still arrive with high optimism at Liverpool's home ground even without the trio.

It's only the start of the season and we've already lost three key players, but that's the reality. It's a very unfortunate situation.

Arsenal will visit Anfield Stadium on Sunday (31/8/2025) at 22:30 WIB. Two days before the visit, Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta confirmed that Saka and Havertz will be absent due to injuries. Meanwhile, team captain Martin Odegaard has not yet trained due to a shoulder issue.

However, the visiting team is not too worried. They have equally capable substitutes. Eberechi Eze, the former Crystal Palace midfielder who triumphed over Liverpool in the Community Shield, is set to make his debut with Arsenal. Two other new players in the attacking line, Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres, are also ready to play.

"It is just the beginning of the season and we have already lost three key players, but that is the reality. A very unfavorable situation. However, at this moment we have many players who can play in various positions and fill the gaps. A deep squad is very much needed," said Arteta.

Arsenal learned a great deal from last season's crisis. The team's performance drastically declined due to a wave of injuries. So short on players, midfielder Mikel Merino was even deployed as an emergency striker. This was addressed by the acquisition of eight players this summer, including Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie, who will be joining soon.

Interestingly, the three substitutes that Arteta is likely to deploy have the potential to change the face of Arsenal, particularly in ball possession. Eze, Madueke, and Gyokeres were heavily relied upon in counter-attack transition situations for their respective teams last season. Liverpool should be cautious.

The characteristics of the three are different from Odegaard, Havertz, and Saka, who are accustomed to playing at a slower pace and prioritizing ball possession. The last time they visited Anfield, in May 2025, Arsenal managed to dominate possession with 56 percent over the home team.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot believes the addition of many quality players has made Arsenal even more unpredictable. "But I don't think their playing style has changed much. Just small changes, like Gyokeres becoming the target man and running in behind the defenders more often," he said.

The match between the two main title contenders of last season's Premier League was titled attack versus defense. Liverpool, with the addition of talented players in the attacking line, such as Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, has been the most prolific team so far. "The Reds" have already scored seven goals in just two matches.

On the other hand, Arsenal holds the status of the most solid team in defense. Led by defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba, they have yet to concede a goal after two matches. Their goalkeeper, David Raya, even tops the list for the most saves with a total of eight.

Despite being at opposite ends, both teams can still inflict pain on each other. This is especially true for Liverpool, which boasts star forward Mohamed Salah. As is well known, Arsenal is one of Salah's favorite opponents. He has scored 11 goals and provided 4 assists when facing "The Gunners" in the league.

Salah has been eagerly awaited on the red carpet. This is because, on the left side of Arsenal's defense, wing-back Ricardo Calafiori is often tasked with advancing to support the attacking line. Calafiori sometimes even joins the attack up to the penalty box. This gap can be exploited by Liverpool with a quick counterattack through Salah.

Salah's threat was very real, even before the match. "The King of Egypt," as he's nicknamed, had already played psychological warfare in an interview with Sky Sports. "Arsenal are the favorites to win the title. When a team has been together for a long time, they get to know each other," he said.

Arteta immediately rejected the burden of such expectations. According to the manager, the defending champion team is always the top favorite in the following season, including Liverpool. "Our goal is to take that crown from them. We want to be better than them in the Premier League," he stated.

Liverpool is very dangerous when attacking. In addition to Salah, they have Ekitike, who contributed two goals in the first two matches of the Premier League. On the bench, veteran player Federico Chiesa and teenager Rio Ngumoha are also capable of making a difference during crucial moments.

However, Slot's team needs to improve in defense. Virgil van Dijk and his teammates have lost a two-goal lead three times in a row this season, starting from the Community Shield match. Their defense appears fragile, particularly on the left side, which is occupied by the new wing-back Milos Kerkez.

Madueke is likely to fill the right wing position to replace Saka. The England national team player will compete against Kerkez. Madueke's speed and dribbling ability could trouble "The Reds," as he demonstrated while still with Chelsea last April.

Only two stadiums have never been conquered by Arteta since his arrival at Arsenal. Anfield is one of them. At the same time, Liverpool has not defeated Arsenal in their last six league encounters. These two facts make the upcoming match even more intriguing. (AP/REUTERS)