Liverpool v Arsenal: Premier League – live

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And how are Arsenal going to be Liverpool? Well, by doing what they always do. What’s most striking about them isn’t the attacking verve, but the rabidity with which they hunt lost possession – remind you of anyone? – and it’s hard to see what can be done to stop them dominating in midfield. That should allow them to stretch the play – admittedly not as easy at Anfield as elsewhere – meaning Liverpool’s full-backs are in for a tricky afternoon. I’m sure Klopp will have a plan for that, and Arsenal’s lack of a proper goalscorer might cause them problems, but the more I think about it, the more I think they’ll have too much.

So how are Liverpool going to beat Arsenal? Well, I daresay they’ll be targeting Holding, who is a lot less good than Saliba, and the space on their right, occupied by Salah, when Oleksandr Zinchenko inverts. I daresay they’ll also plan to hassle Arsenal’s back-four in possession and try and force turnovers high up the pitch, but realistically, unless the weight of the occasion tells, theirs is likely a puncher’s chance.

Elsewhere, Palace are taking Leeds apart. Follow the closing stages with Rob Smyth!

Email! “Speaking as a Liverpool season ticket holder whose first game was in 1975, says Algernon Mcpherson, “I know several people who would rather City win the league than Arsenal, me included.”

Yes, I meant to qualify my sweeping statement with a “most”, but I’m intrigued. I’d assumed that Liverpool-Manchester rivalry along with state wealth would trump any dislike for Arsenal, but hatred is where you find it.

So let’s take a closer look at all that. Jürgen Klopp restores Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo to his starting XI, with Joe Gomez, Kostas Tsimikas, Joël Matip, Darwin Núnez and Roberto Firmino dropping out.

Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, reverts to his strongest available line-up. William Saliba is still absent, so Rob Holding and his hair continue to deputise while, in attack, Bukayo Saka returns in place of Leandro Trossard.

Shall we have some teams?

Liverpool (a back-to-basics 4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Jones; Salah, Gakpo, Jota. Subs: Kelleher, Gomez, Thiago, Milner, Firmino, Elliott, Tsimikas, Nunez, Matip.

Arsenal (a new danger 4-3-3): Ramsdale; White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli. Subs: Turner, Tierney, Smith Rowe, Kiwior, Trossard, Jorginho, Vieira, Nelson, Walters.

Referee: Paul Tierney (Wigan)

Preamble

Football has many twee and arcane charms, but the opportunity to take manic pleasure in inflicting pain and suffering on those less fortunate, is among its greatest. For those of us who consider this behaviour a contextual treat rather than a civic duty – our government’s indifference to the beautiful game is, of course, a complete coincidence – it represents a rare opportunity to lose our minds, dignity and decency, with the world made a better place for it.

And make no mistake, for Liverpool, that is what today is all about. Their top-four hopes aren’t entirely gone – they’ve put in serious late runs to nab Champions-League spots in two of the last three seasons. But equally, their fans will well remember the Andrei Arshavin game of April 2009 which handed Man United a decisive advantage in the title race, and want a piece of that for themselves.

The funny thing is, Liverpool fans would also prefer Arsenal to win the league than Man City – another aspect of what makes this game so overwhelmingly delicious. But that’s for another time; as far as right expletive now goes, my enemy’s enemy is my enemy and there’s nothing more football than that.

Arsenal, meanwhile, haven’t won a league game at Anfield since September 2012, haven’t won a league title anywhere since May 2004 and know that they’re no longer a plucky bunch of young outsiders but a respected outfit who need to get the job done. A result this afternoon puts them eight in front with eight to go; gives them scope to lose away to Man City; and allows them the joy of painting their superiority all over a despised rival. On other hand, dropped points means the title is in City’s hands as much as it’s in theirs, and the tenor of the chase changes.

There are a myriad of tactical reasons which will help determine how this game will go, and we’ll come to them in due course. But there’s a reason why Graeme Souness and Roy Keane are constantly banging on about mentality and pressure, and it’s not because they’re anachronistic dinosaurs who understand the game less well than we do, nor is it because they lack our refined sense of what it takes to become champions. Which is to say that Arsenal are a better team than Liverpool, but the question we’re asking today is whether they’re a better team than Liverpool between 4.30pm and around 6.25pm with the population of Anfield shrieking in their ears, the weight of the generations bawling in their heads, and the entirety of the footballing world wondering if they’ll crumble and burn.

So sit back, settle in, and prime yourselves for a shot of pure, uncut and glorious football. Here we go!

Kick-off: 4.30pm BST