Liverpool v Arsenal team news and stats

Olivier Giroud & Kolo Toure: Set to renew acquaintances on Wednesday

Olivier Giroud & Kolo Toure: Set to renew acquaintances on Wednesday

Liverpool and Arsenal fans can expect a flurry of goals in Wednesday’s Premier League meeting at Anfield (8pm) if past meetings are anything to go by.

Team news

Kolo Toure and Mamadou Sakho are set to return at the heart of injury-ravaged Liverpool’s defence against Barclays Premier League leaders Arsenal at Anfield.

Steven Caulker is likely to start his Liverpool career on the bench after signing on a season-long loan from QPR on Tuesday.

James Milner (calf), Jordon Ibe and Jordan Henderson (foot) could all be back in Jurgen Klopp’s squad too after the German made several changes for the FA Cup third round tie at Exeter on Friday.

However, Martin Skrtel, Dejan Lovren, Philippe Coutinho, Divock Origi and Daniel Sturridge are all ruled out with hamstring problems, and Joe Gomez and Danny Ings are missing with long-term knee problems, while Lucas Leiva may have to be deployed as a makeshift centre-back if Toure (cramp) or Sakho (knee) fail fitness tests.

Arsene Wenger will welcome back German pair Mesut Ozil and Per Mertesacker for Arsenal.

Both were completely rested for Saturday FA Cup victory over Sunderland but are in line for recalls at Anfield, although the Gunners are not expected to welcome back any of their injured players.

Tomas Rosicky is back in training but will miss out and Wenger insists the game comes too soon for Alexis Sanchez (hamstring), while David Ospina (groin) could be absent and Jack Wilshere (leg), Francis Coquelin, Danny Welbeck and Santi Cazorla (all knee) are definitely out.

 

Opta stats

  • Only Manchester United (21) have secured more Premier League wins against Arsenal than Liverpool (16).
  • Liverpool v Arsenal has seen more hat-tricks than any other fixture in Premier League history (5).
  • Arsenal have now won 100 Premier League games by a 1-0 scoreline – only Man Utd (110) and Chelsea (115) have won more often with this score.
  • The last nine Premier League meetings between these clubs at Anfield have seen 35 goals scored (3.9 per game on average).
  • Liverpool have scored 22 goals in their 20 league games so far this season; the lowest tally after 20 games of any league campaign and beating their previous low of 23 in 1923/24 and 1970/71.
  • Mesut Ozil has either scored or assisted 16 of Arsenal’s last 24 Premier League goals (three goals, 13 assists).
  • Alberto Moreno has created more goalscoring chances than any other Liverpool player in the Premier League this season (39) and is also the most creative defender in the competition so far in 2015-16.
  • James Milner has run an average of 12.45km per game in the Premier League in 2015-16; further than any other player in the competition.
  • Arsenal have scored the first goal of the game on 14 occasions in the Premier League this season; more often than any other team.
  • Philippe Coutinho has attempted a league-high 15 shots on target from outside the box this season so far.