- Date: Sunday January 7, 16:30 GMT
- Location: Emirates Stadium, London, England
- Teams: Arsenal vs Liverpool.
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FA Cup third round throws up heavyweight clash
Arsenal, winners of the FA Cup on a record 14 occasions, take on eight-times winners Liverpool at the Emirates. Both sides are in the thick of the title race and have European campaigns to think about. However, the incentive for getting a win here is massive, from the point of view of a psychological blow over a title rival and from the knowledge that they will have knocked a major threat out of the cup should they get through. At the time of writing Manchester City are favourites, priced at 5/2 with bet365. Arsenal are fourth favourites (10/1) and Liverpool are sixth favourites (12/1).
The two sides drew at Anfield in a top of the table clash just before Christmas. Since then LIverpool have won their last two matches to go three points clear at the top, while Arsenal, with two defeats, have dropped to fourth, five points off the top.
Arsenal
Arsenal last won the FA Cup in 2020. Although supporters may place greater emphasis on the Premier League and the Champions League, a record extending FA Cup win would be very welcome to Mikel Arteta. Title rivals Manchester City ended Arsenal’s interest in the competition last season. Arteta will not want a repeat. The Arsenal boss will be desperate to get a positive result on the back of two successive losses in the Premier League.
Takehiro Tomiyasu, who had jusr returned to the bench after injury, will not be available, having joined up with Japan for the Asian Cup. Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny is also with his country at the Africa Cup of Nations. Thomas Partey has not been called up for the tournament by Ghana due to thigh surgery and the midfielder is yet to return to full training. Jurrien Timber (ACL) and Fabio Vieira (groin) are definately out. Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf) is doubtful, meaning that the Gunners could be without a recognised left-back in the squad.
Liverpool
Liverpool probably did not get the credit they deserved for their last FA Cup triumph. Although they secured both the FA Cup and the EFL Cup in 2021/22 the fact that they ended up as runners up in the Premier League and the Champions League meant that the season was seen as a disappointment by some, such are the standards set by the Reds under Jurgen Klopp. The third round draw has not been kind to Liverpool but they will feel that they can come away from any ground with a result and will aim to still be in the cup at the final whistle. After a difficult season, by their standards, last season where they finished fifth, LIverpool have crossed the halfway point of the season top of the league, in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup, and a place in the Europa League knockout stages.
Liverpool will be without the inform Mo Salah, with the forward having joined up with Egypt for the for the AFCON. Wataru Endo is on Asian Cup duty with Japan. Ben Doak (knee), Kostas Tsimikas (collarbone), Thiago Alcantara (hip), Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Andrew Robertson (shoulder) and Joel Matip (ACL) are all out. Dominik Szoboszlai sustained a hamstring injury against Newcastle United and looks set to miss out. Klopp could well rotate his squad with an EFL Cup semi-final againsgt Fulham on the horizon.
Prediction
It promises to be a good quality game and it promises to be a tight game. And that is even if front line players are rested as is often the case in cup competitions these days. Liverpool are still fighting on four fronts and maybe something has to give. Arsenal’s home advantage has had a big impact on the outright odds for the FA Cup and I expect this to ring true with a narrow home win.
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