Liverpool v Arsenal: Wide Attacks And The Second Ball
Liverpool v Arsenal at Anfield: October form, the latest official teams and a closer look at wide attacks, defensive recoveries and dated Bet365 odds.
Liverpool and Arsenal arrive at Anfield meeting with fresh examples of how wide attacks can create chances, and how quickly a tidy result can disguise a few defensive alarms.
Liverpool needed a comeback at Brentford; Arsenal needed a late winner at Forest. With team news checked on 19 October and almost a fortnight still to go, the selection questions deserve more attention than any grand prediction.
Liverpool v Arsenal
Sunday 1 November 2026 · 16:30 GMT · Premier League · Anfield. Sky Sports will feature the match live in the UK. Our Premier League fixtures guide has the surrounding schedule.
| Market | Selection | Fractional odds |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time result | Liverpool | 9/4 |
| Full-time result | Draw | 5/2 |
| Full-time result | Arsenal | 11/10 |
Bet365 prices checked 19 October 2026 at 13:28 BST. Full-time result covers 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Odds are subject to change.
Liverpool have found the net, but the defence still has questions
October has already taken Liverpool from a 3–0 home defeat to Manchester City to a 6–3 Champions League win at LASK, followed by a 2–1 league win at Brentford. That is quite a range for anyone hoping to file them neatly under ‘solid’ or ‘shaky’. The two wins repaired the results; conceding in both leaves the defensive question open.
At Gtech Community Stadium on 17 October, Victor Munoz equalised after a run down the right and a cut inside. Alexander Isak then finished after Bradley Barcola headed Alexis Mac Allister’s deep delivery back into his path.
Arsenal must defend the next contact as well as the cross: clearing the first ball towards an unmarked attacker would merely relocate the problem.
Brentford had led through Keane Lewis-Potter’s header from Igor Thiago’s delivery. Yehor Yarmoliuk’s dismissal before half-time changed the contest; Liverpool scored both goals against ten men before Vitaly Janelt also went off late. That comeback is useful evidence of attacking routes, with a sizeable red card caveat attached.
Arsenal found a way through Forest, then had to hang on
Arsenal’s 1–0 win at the City Ground on 18 October gave them six victories from their first seven league matches. The winning moment came from the left: Declan Rice found Noni Madueke, who moved inside and scored from a deflection off Jair Cunha with ten minutes to go. Madueke had replaced Eberechi Eze at the interval.
An earlier move offers a different warning for Liverpool. Martin Odegaard released Jurrien Timber on the overlap and his cutback reached Rice, who shot over.
If Liverpool’s wide defender follows the ball inside, the runner outside still needs an escort. Otherwise the defence can end up watching the same pass twice, neither time from a particularly useful position.
Forest had late chances, including Rice’s block on Chris Wood and Ezri Konsa’s tackle denying Liam Delap. A clean sheet did not mean a quiet finish. Liverpool’s task is to turn any similar openings into attempts before Arsenal recover, rather than assume one successful wide move will do the job.
Crosses and set pieces: finish the defensive job
Arsenal threatened through Gabriel at corners against Forest, while the hosts also caused problems from dead balls. The practical question at Anfield is who remains available for the ball after the first challenge. Attacking a delivery can pull defenders towards it; the player left beyond that crowd can become the next problem.
These recent matches offer a glimpse into how both teams approach set pieces, rather than pointing to a wider defensive weakness. The number of corners may be less important than what happens after the ball is delivered, particularly how each side deals with second balls and maintains its defensive shape.
Latest official teams and availability
Liverpool’s starting XI at Brentford consisted of Alisson, Van Dijk, Jacquet, Kerkez, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Isak, Mac Allister, Munoz, Barcola and Araujo. Gakpo returned to the bench.
The injury update after that match matters more than simply copying the team sheet. Andoni Iraola said Szoboszlai had suffered a recurrence of his problem and Frimpong a new injury; both would be missing for a period. Munoz moved to right-back after Frimpong’s brief appearance. Their availability could change Liverpool’s options on that side, but the club’s update gives no firm return date for this Arsenal fixture.
Arsenal started at Forest with Raya, White, Gabriel, Konsa, Calafiori, Rice, Guimaraes, Odegaard, Eze, Saka and Havertz. Saka, Havertz and Odegaard returned to the XI; Zubimendi recovered sufficiently to make the bench. Kepa missed the squad through injury, with Meslier the substitute goalkeeper.
For this particular match-up, watch Liverpool’s right-sided selection and whether Arsenal start Eze or Madueke on the left. Those choices will determine which recent attacking move is most relevant.
Bet365 betting angle
Arsenal to win in 90 minutes, 11/10: This is the result angle to examine, with their six wins in seven and the Forest winner providing a current basis. The left route also draws attention to Liverpool’s right side as Iraola assesses his injured players. The price alone does not establish value.
The strongest objection is Arsenal’s late defending at Forest: Liverpool’s recent finishing gives them a way to punish similar openings. Arsenal also needed a deflection to settle that game, so the final score should not do all the arguing. A change in Liverpool’s availability or Arsenal’s left-sided starter would require a fresh assessment.
Liverpool are 9/4 and the draw is 5/2 in the same snapshot. Those are separate full-time outcomes, with no extra time involved. You can view bet365 Sports; the checked prices above may move before kick-off.
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Sources: LFC fixtures, LFC results, LFC report, LFC injuries, AFC report, AFC team news.
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