Sunday 31st of August will see Arsenal FC against Liverpool FC, at Anfield on Merseyside, kick off is at 4.30pm UK time. This will be match-day three of the 2025/6 season.
OUR HOSTS.
Liverpool need no introduction, unless you’ve been living in the Kuiper belt for the last hundred years or so. One of the true forces in the PL to be reckoned with, and favourites to win the PL 2025/6. They are on their good days, a truly excellent team and are unbeaten so far this season, but have allowed in four goals in those two.
At the time of writing this Isak still hasn’t signed for them and there’s still time, if so and with him, they may become an unstoppable force. But what happens if they meet the unmoveable object? Hopefully that object comes the form of a cannon.
If Isak to Liverpool happens or no, this one will leave a bitter legacy at the Toon and has already spilt a lot of speculative ink in the press and hurt voices elsewhere. Liverpool have reinforced themselves this summer with Wirtz, Kerkez and Ekitike with rumours that Guehi is on the way too.
Having kept an eye on their first two games I would say they are beatable, but one seconds worth of a concentration slip-up and yer doomed. Anfield has never been much of a happy hunting ground for the Arsenal, although I liked the effort and resilience we showed last time up there.
According to some AI-head its nearly four thousand days since we beat Liverpool at Anfield. Although that seems a strange deception when we only ever play them on Merseyside once a year, its not as if we could play them on any other days except at Ashburton Grove for the home-tie. That win came on the 2nd of September 2012. Trouble is AI- head forgot to include our Carabao Cup win back in 2020.
The first game ever with the Reds at Anfield was on the 1st of January 1894. Over all its 83 games won by the Arsenal, 66 draws and 93 wins by Liverpool. Last season it was all square at two a piece in both games.
Our chums at Statto HQ have given Liverpool a 42.5% chance of winning and the Arsenal 28%.
Mills.
I can’t remember such a pivotal game coming so early in the season. I don’t think the magnitude if it can be exaggerated. A win up there would put down a marker to end all markers. Liverpool have not looked great , despite 2 wins, but then again, neither have we. Let’s not pretend the United game was awful stuff, and for 45 minutes against Leeds, it wasn’t much better. The 100% record of one of us has to go.
Here is my best guess prediction, if we score 2 goals , we won’t lose. It’s been a Donkey’s age since we conceded more than 2 goals, and that’s the sum total of my logic and guess work.
The team sort of picks itself, with Odegaard’s fitness being the big question. If he’s not fit I think Eze will make his debut as 10 at 10, with Martinelli on the left. If he is fit, maybe Eze will be the starter on the left.
It’s not the end of the world if we lose, and it’s not conquering the world if we win, but it might feel like one or the other at full time. For all our sanities sake, a draw would be a good result, and I’d take one now.
I understand results are everything in circumstances like this, but wouldn’t it be great to watch an entertaining game of flowing football as well as getting a positive result? That’s my wish anyhow.
See you all come Sunday,
Pedantic George.
Positively Arsenal 
we have a god awful record at Anfield, but on the other hand we have one of the greatest results of all time at Anfield too.
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Arsenal U21’s currently playing Brighton U21’s, its 0-0 but Brighton been the better team so far.
O’Neill has come on at half time for AFC for his U21 debut
Arsenal u21 winger Ismeal Kabia is set to join Shrewsbury Town on season-long loan deal
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Jakub Kiwior to Porto is an agreed deal worth over €25m, a loan with an obligation to buy. Porto waiting for Arsenal to sanction the move as it’s contingent on Piero Hincapie signing for Arsenal, and reports in Germany say that talks are progressing well on this move, again a loan with a purchase obligation, somewhere in the region of €50M
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Marseille working on deal to sign Oleksandr Zinchenko from Arsenal but they want Arsenal to pay a portion of his wages.
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Stuttgart still in talks with Arsenal for Vieira, there seemingly is a big difference in how each club value the player. Will be interesting to see if that move can be done before end of the window.
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4 Arsenal players in the latest England squad, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Eze and Madueke.
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Arsenal U21’s take the lead in the 89th minute, a one two between Sagoe Jr and O’Neill before Sagoe Jr drives the ball across the Brighton six yard box for Ferdinand to slot into an empty net.
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Arsenal U21’s win 1-0, they didn’t play well but got the win with one of the only good bits of football they played all game
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report that Oleksandr Zinchenko has been handed a £300,000 tax bill, just months after losing a court battle with HMRC
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David Ornstein
EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal reach agreement with Bayer Leverkusen to sign Piero Hincapie. Season-long loan from #B04 + buy obligation. Package worth €52m & 10% sell-on. 5yr deal upon permanent transfer. Set to travel this weekend for #AFC medical
@TheAthleticFC
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one extra thing on the U21 win tonight, goalie Remy Mitchell came on as first half sub for Tommy Setford, which meant Remy made his U21 debut, 3 years after leaving Arsenal for Swansea. He rejoined this summer.
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our signings so far this summer,
Kepa, Mosquera, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Norgaard, Eze, Madueke, Gyokeres
will there be any more before deadline on Monday evening.
Will we get the unwanted players off the books too. A few busy days coming up for Berta and co. Kiwior will be off now, and we want Zinchenko, Lokonga, Vieira and Nelson gone too.
Jesus is now back in training, but not full contact training yet. Havertz had a minor operation on his knee this week, Saka is out with a hamstring injury for next few weeks, Norgaard might be back after the interlull, Odegaard is a doubt for Liverpool game, but might make it. White a doubt for LFC game too.
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Ornstein has changed the Hincapie report to a buy option, not a buy obligation. That is very good for AFC.
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I think one of pur biggest problems this season, and especially in this match, will be pigmols favour towards the scoucers. We have already seen in the first two games the ability of the officials to help Liverpool and this will he difficult to overcome.
Also because of injuries we will be relying on the new players to gel quickly with each other and the rest of the team.
They look like they can score and concede at anytime in the match, so Mikels ultra cautious approach may just bring home the bacon.
If he does, what a wonderful start to the season going in to the interlull COYG.
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Got no faith in PGMOL and their ability to officiate the game and their ability to operate VAR , the Premier league that continues to utilise their incompetence, the FA who turn a blind eye and the media and pundits to continually ignore the elephant in the room.
Fulham yesterday was an example of this nonsense.
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spot on Gee
I wonder what the media reaction or views on the PGMOL would be if for the last 20 years the make up of the ref list was the complete opposite geographically as to what it is and has been, imagine if the refs were or had been all from london and the south of england instead of from the north and north east. Imagine if the one ref from the north had only been in use a few seasons and then gone with no sign of a replacement from up north. We have the very peculiar that there has been as many if not more overseas refs in the PGMOL than London refs. The Manchester Mafia is alive and well and still running the PGMOL
I see the guy on VAR has been replaced for today’s game at Anfield cos of his complete incompetence yesterday in the Fulham game, not that will do Fulham any good
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Liverpool: Allison, Szoboszlai, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo, Ekitike.
Subs: Mamardashvili, Bradley, Robertson, Gomez, Endo, Elliott, Ngumoha, Chiesa.
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Merino, Rice, Martinelli, Madueke, Gyokeres.
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Lewis-Skelly, Mosquera, Odegaard, Nwaneri, Dowman, Eze, Trossard, Harriman-Annous.
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not in our squad today
White, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Lokonga, Vieira, Nelson, Havertz, Jesus
3 of those, White, Havertz and Jesus are all out injured
Kiwior is in Portugal to complete a transfer to Porto.
That leaves Zinchenko, Lokonga, Vieira and Nelson who are all said to be in transfer talks with various clubs. Transfer deadline is tomorrow at 7pm
looking at all that its clear we probably still need to add a couple of players to our squad if those 5 players leave. Hincapie is said to be on way to London to do his Arsenal medical, so thats a start
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a rumor doing the rounds today is Nelson to Aston Villa, with Watkins to Arsenal.
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man city lost away to Brigthon, leaving them with one win and two losses in their 3 games so far.
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Better tell Kiwior that hes needed now and that the Porto move is off.
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Saliba went off injured after 5 minutes, Mosquera on for him
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HT: 0-0
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liverpool put the ball in the net, it goes to VAR, he is clearly offside,
no goal
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some reports that Saliba was injured in the warm up but was deemed fit enough to start, and that is why Musquera was ready so quickly to come on as sub.
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Eze on for his Arsenal debut, Martinelli off
Odegaard on, Merino off
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we need to take back control of this game, LFC on top in this half.
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fucks sake, 30 yard freekick into the top corner, 1-0 to liverpool with about 10 minutes to go.
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Nwaneri on for Madueke
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sorry it was Dowman on for Madueke
7 minutes of stoppage time to be played
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FT: Liverpool 1-0 Arsenal
we played for a draw and got what we deserved for more of the negative arteta ball.
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Eze looked great though, good skill and surging runs, I would have liked to have seen him come on around 65mins or so, even at HT.At some point hes going to be a starter of every game.
Max, go kid go! Cheeky skills in front of the Anfield lot! I wonder what he might have done had he started? Port Vale will show that…Mad looked ok too, no Saka but not frightened to come forward, could be really great. I love Martinelli but he went awol.
Odd thing is the freekick all started after Califury slipped going for Martin pass, Timber! holds up the game and Zube got it all wrong., and will be thinking of that one when he wakes up at 4am. Shame as we were having some possession and coming forward at that point. Timber! held it up to long and we lost momentum.
Quite an attacking force after they scored and Im sure the Scousers were pretty worried, but in the end a pretty much of a stalemate from both sides? I didn’t think Liverpool looked that great in the second. For anyone to win it needed something specials and they had it, or at least that one kick.
I wish we could have show a bit more teeth as we did after the goal. I also wish we played more to our potential and set the tone rather than reacting to the opposition.
Pretty disappointing though…just trying to grab a posi drives otherwise I’ll be sitting in my kack all night. Fork that.
COYG!
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Arteta has a small club mentality, there is way more Moyes about him than there is Arsene or Pep.
That team today was selected to get a draw and hope to nick a win, in his prematch presser on Friday we had all the usual guff from Arteta about going to Anfield to get a statement win, to take the game to liverpool, but absolutely nothing about the team selection or tactics bore any semblance to the words. Arteta is a PR man, his football is paint by numbers, system first, system second, system all the time.
And I tell you one other thing, the bringing on of Dowman for me was nothing more than a stunt so he could point to our injuries, or him trying something to change it.
All these years Arteta hasn’t been buying forwards, cos he hasn’t a clue what to do with them. Forwards will not thrive in a defensive first system.
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looks like Man Utd are signing Emmi Martinez from Aston Villa,
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so its been confirmed that Saliba got injured in the warm up, crazy that he started the game. Poor management
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i have been an Arteta fan but today we didnt play to our strength…why start Eze on the bench and Merino1st???
liVarpool was there for the taking…this was a game for the coach to loose
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Albert Sambi Lokonga is in Hamburg to have a medical as his permanent move for a small fee edges closer. He has been another major Arteta flop signing
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Aston Villa in a real mess, 3-0 down at home to Crystal Palace, Martinez on verge of move to Man Utd, and several players wanting out and it seems a bit of financial trouble with them too.
It is reported that they are in for Reiss Nelson. I had a look at their subs today and my God it is a very weak squad at the moment.
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Shamrock Rovers beat Drogheda Utd 2-1 today to extend their lead at the top of the League of Ireland, 16 year old Victor Ozhianvuna who will join Arsenal when he turns 18 came on for the last 20 minutes or so.
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Arsenal goalkeeper Lucas Nygaard set to join Danish second division club Brabren on loan
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Reiss Nelson to Brentford on a season loan
Sambi Lokonko to Hamburg for a £2M permanent transfer
Jacob Kiwior to Porto loan with buy obligation
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Fabio Vieira on season loan to Hamburg
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Maldini Kacurri receives first callup to Albania senior squad
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Piero Hincapie to Arsenal confirmed
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its a loan with an obligation to buy next summer
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so by the looks of it this is our squad for this season
GK – Raya, Kepa
D – Timber, White, Saliba, Mosquera, Gabriel, Hincapie, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Zinchenko
M – Zubimendi, Norgaard, Rice, Merino, Odegaard, Eze, Nwaneri
F – Saka, Madueke, Dowman, Martinelli, Trossard,
S – Gyokeres, Havertz, Jesus
That is 22 senior players (that is players over the age of 21), and 4 U21 players – Mosquera, Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri, Dowman
So once again we are 3 senior players short of what we are allowed. Also in that 22 are several players currently injured – Havertz, Jesus, Saka, White, Norgaard – and several who have poor injury records – Zinchenko, Calafiori and Timber
Arsenal brought in 8 players this summer, a fantastic window to a degree, but we are still short, especially in certain areas, and maybe lacking the quality left wide player this teams needs, but I hope I’m wrong there and that Eze is for that position as I think he would be our Pires in that role, said it when he signed, that he is ideal for it, but I don’t know if Arteta knows where he wants him to play.
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kiwior to porto on season loan confirmed
out goings this summer – Kiwior, Tomiyasu, Partey, Jorginho, Vieira, Lokonga, Nelson, and of course the two loan guys form last season left, Neto and Sterling.
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late transfer news, Zinchenko to Nottingham Forest on season loan
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Kiwior, Tomiyasu, Partey, Jorginho, Vieira, Lokonga, Nelson and Zinchenko all left AFC this summer and only Lokonga brought in a transfer fee, and if reports from Germany are to be believed that was only £2.5M
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Eight out and eight in but the quality has gone up substantially.
That makes it looks like a fantastic window.
However as Ed says, two loan signings weren’t replaced and only Dowman has been added to the squad.
quality up but Mikel was complaining about numbers last season and that hasn’t improved.
I think this window was always going to be extremely difficult because of the problems and situation we were left historically.
The eight incomings on their own look brilliant business, it remains to be seen ic its enough.
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