When Arsenal travelled to Anfield last season they went as league leaders. High on confidence, it was seen as an opportunity to lay down a marker for the rest of the season. Clear at the top, it was a test of whether Arsenal’s title challenge was genuine. Instead in a blistering twenty minute spell Arsenal were torn to shreds.

Arsenal couldn’t live with the movement of the Liverpool forward line and showed little appetite for digging in and soaking up the pressure. Although Arsenal would remain top at the end of the day, it was Liverpool who would go on to have the real title challenge.

Poor Starts

To this season, where both teams find themselves in much worse positions. Arsenal have responded to the terrible performance at Stoke to record wins over Galatasaray and Newcastle while Liverpool dealt well with a tricky cup quarter-final this week defeating Championship leaders Bournemouth.

Still Liverpool have got just seven points from their last six Premier League games while Arsenal have fared little better with nine points.

Injury Depletions

On the injury front Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Nacho Monreal all face late fitness tests to see whether they'll be ready. Ramsey,Arteta, Wilshere, Ozil and Rosicky leave Arsenal short of options in midfield.

Defensive Shape

Good news at the back is that Calum Chambers is back from his suspension resulting in Mathieu Debuchy moving back out to right back.

Mertesacker will be tasked with providing the team with the leadership and defensive strength sorely lacking at Anfield last season (and Stoke this season etc)

Down to the bare bones in Midfield

In midfield Flamini will continue to be tasked with providing a defensive base. Flamini has improved considerably in recent weeks from performances earlier in the season which wouldn't have looked out of place in Sunday league. His pass completion rate has gone way up and he seems under instructions to keep it simple.

Alongside him at the base of the midfield will be either Be the ‘Ox’ or recently returned from his loan spell at Charlton, Francis Coquelin.

Coquelin is a bit of an enigma. It's easy to forget that a few seasons ago he had quite a successive spell in the team, but now after a few unspectacular loan spells, it's unlikely he'll have a long term future at arsenal. Still if called upon he will provide some strength and defensive support from the midfield.

Forward Options to Cause Problems

Further forward Santi Cazorla will start in the middle. After having a poor start to the season he seems to have caught some form with three goals in his last two games. His brilliant chip and audacious penalty last week were signs that he is getting back to his best and should provide Arsenal with a lot of creativity from the middle tomorrow.

The front three of Sanchez, Welbeck and Giroud should remain the same from the Newcastle game. Weak as Newcastle's defence undoubtedly was, they could not live with the movement of these three interchanging positions around Giroud’s excellent focal point play.

This will do nothing to stop the continued calls for Lukas Podolski, but rightly or wrongly Arsene Wenger seems to have long since lost faith in him to play the big games, and Welbeck does provide much better defensive cover from the wings, especially away from home.

Liverpool Searching for Answers

IIt's unclear whether Liverpool will start with a back three or four tomorrow. If they revert to back four Manquillo could come in with Toure partnering Skrtel at the centre of their defence. 

With Balotelli banned, and Rodgers reluctant to start Lambert, Sterling is likely to start as a kind of 'false 9'.

Liverpool were able to create chances at Old Trafford, they were just incredibly wasteful. Arsenal cannot rely on this again. He certainly has the movement to cause Arsenal problems and what odds would you get on Chambers getting a booking tomorrow? Not very good I imagine.

Likely Line-ups

Arsenal: Szcesney, Debuchy, Chambers, Mertesacker, Gibbs, Flamini, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Sanchez, Giroud, Welbeck

Liverpool:Jones, Toure, Skrtel, Lovren, Henderson, Gerrard, Lucas, Markovic, Coutinho, Sterling, Lallana

Prediction

I rarely predict an Arsenal win, being forever pessimistic. However I am quietly optimistic about tomorrow’s game. We have the firepower to cause their make shift defence serious problems, and with four of our first team back five back, we ‘should’ be more solid.

Arsenal have gone behind in their last six trips to Anfield, but only lost once, drawing three times. Remarkably the Newcastle game was the first premier league game this season that Arsenal have led at half time, so don't be surprised if Liverpool lead tomorrow.

Come on the Arsenal!