Live match preview – Arsenal vs Liverpool 20.01.2022

Team news and stats ahead of Arsenal vs Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final, second leg on Thursday; kick-off 7.45pm.

Team news

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka is suspended for Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at home to Liverpool following his red card during last week’s 0-0 draw between the teams at Anfield.

The Gunners were forced to postpone Sunday’s derby with Tottenham due to a number of players being unavailable and boss Mikel Arteta admitted they still have “issues” ahead of the Emirates clash.

He was coy over team selection on Wednesday but will definitely be without Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny, Nicolas Pepe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, while several other squad members need to be assessed over knocks or Covid-19 concerns.

Liverpool’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been ruled out of facing his former club after suffering an ankle injury in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Brentford.

Reds assistant manager Pep Lijnders said the problem is not serious and the 28-year-old is hopeful of returning in time for Sunday’s trip to Crystal Palace.

Divock Origi and Thiago Alcantara will both remain sidelined until next month, while the match comes too soon for Harvey Elliott despite his return to training.

How to follow

Thursday 20th January 7:00pm


Kick off 7:45pm

Arsenal vs Liverpool is live on Sky Sports Football and Main Event from 7pm; kick-off 7.45pm. Sky Sports customers can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.

What happened in the first leg?

Opta stats

• Arsenal have won just one of their last 17 matches against Liverpool in all competitions (D8 L8) and have failed to score in their last four against the Reds, having only failed to score in four of their previous 50 games against them.
• Liverpool have reached more League Cup finals than any other team (12) but have lost the second leg of each of their last three semi-finals in the competition, losing 1-0 each time in 2014-15 vs Chelsea, 2015-16 vs Stoke and 2016-17 vs Southampton.
• Arsenal have never lost a home League Cup match against Liverpool (W3 D3), with the last meeting between the sides at the Emirates in the competition finishing 2-1 to the Gunners in October 2009.
• Under Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool have scored more goals against Arsenal in all competitions (43) than they have vs any other opponent.
• The first leg between Arsenal and Liverpool was goalless at Anfield, only the second time in the last 17 seasons the first leg of a League Cup semi-final ended 0-0. In that instance in 2017-18, Arsenal drew 0-0 away at Chelsea before winning 2-1 at home in the second leg to reach the final.
• Liverpool have won more away matches in the League Cup than any other team in the competition’s history (56) and have won eight of their 11 on the road under Jurgen Klopp (L3), including their last three in a row.
• Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah has scored seven goals in five League Cup appearances at the Emirates, averaging a goal every 46 minutes at the stadium in the competition, and is Arsenal’s leading scorer at the Emirates in the League Cup.