We’ve delved into all of the stats using the Squawka Comparison Matrix to pick out a combined Arsenal and Liverpool XI ahead of the Premier League clash on Thursday night.
Check the stats and see our eventual combined XI below. The players we’ve chosen to compare are a combination of the team’s most used XI so far this season and predicted lineups for the match itself.
Goalkeeper: David Raya vs Alisson
These are two of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League right now. But it may be a surprise to see to see Allison coming out on top. He is pretty evenly matched with David Raya, and the Brazilian leads in just one extra metric.
While Alisson is the busier when it comes to saves, Raya has a better success rate. Alisson is also better in most of the passing metrics, enough to edge the battle. But, it’s worth noting that Raya does lead in the actual shot-stopping and goal preventing.
Winner: Alisson
Right-back: Jurrien Timber vs Conor Bradley
Another interesting result, Conor Bradley wins the battle of the right-backs. The Liverpool man excels in the defensive side of the game, averaging 2.5 clearances per 90 minutes and 1.3 interceptions. Jurrien Timber isn’t as busy for Arsenal, with 2.0 clearances per 90 and 0.9 interceptions. Things are a lot closer on ball recoveries, but Bradley still takes that battle with 4.3 per 90 to Timber’s 3.7.
Now, Timber does come out significantly better on chances created at 1.1 per 90 to 0.5, though Bradley attempts more crosses. Timber also makes more tackles, but Bradley wins more of his ground duels.
Winner: Conor Bradley
Centre-backs: William Saliba vs Gabriel vs Ibrahima Konate vs Virgil van Dijk
This is another case of busier defenders coming out on top. You’d expect to see Virgil van Dijk ranking well, and he leads on four different metrics. His 7.7 clearances is the best in that defensive stat, while he is also best for success in the air and on the ground, and forward passing.
And when you take Van Dijk out of the comparison, his partner Ibrahima Konate bests Arsenal’s first-choice centre-backs. That’s the real surprise, but again it comes down to Liverpool being busier defensively. Arsenal’s tactics are so good they don’t require their centre-backs to get heavily involved.
Winners: Ibrahima Konate & Virgil van Dijk
Left-back: Piero Hincapie vs Milos Kerkez
Riccardo Calafiori will miss this game through injury, which is a big blow for Arsenal. Piero Hincapie has stepped in to replace him at left-back, with mixed results so far. Given his spells at centre-back, Hincapie ranks well defensively with 4.6 clearances per 90 and 1.3 interceptions.
But because Milos Kerkez has a full season at left-back under his belt, the Hungarian comes out on top. His 1.0 chances created per 90 and 3.8 crosses attempted do the trick — as does his success in ground duels.
Winner: Milos Kerkez
Defensive midfielder: Martin Zubimendi vs Ryan Gravenberch
Moving into the midfield, Martin Zubimendi is Arsenal’s holding man while Ryan Gravenberch is the more defensive of Liverpool’s double pivot. And, again, it’s the Liverpool man who comes out on top. Zubimendi leads the battle on tackles made at 1.8 per 90 to Gravenberch’s 1.6, and he also edges on aerial duel success rate.
But Gravenberch excels elsewhere. He averages 1.5 interceptions per 90, 4.5 ball recoveries and 4.7 duels won. Gravenberch also comes out on top for the on-the-ball metrics, including 1.0 chances created and take-ons completed per 90.
Winner: Ryan Gravenberch
Central midfielders: Martin Odegaard vs Declan Rice vs Alexis Mac Allister
There’s no surprise that Declan Rice takes one of the two central midfield spots. He’s arguably the best in his position in the league this season. The Arsenal man comes out on top in every metric but one against teammate Martin Odegaard and Alexis Mac Allister. Rice is an all-rounder, making 5.4 ball recoveries and 1.1 interceptions per 90, while also completing 89.49% of his passes and 16.3 forward passes.
Things are a lot more equal when it comes to Odegaard and Mac Allister. The Arsenal man makes more forward passes but Mac Allister has better overall passing accuracy. Odegaard also leads for tackles made and ball recoveries, but his Liverpool counterpart wins more duels and is more successful in the air. In the end, Odegaard does just about edge it, though.
Winners: Declan Rice & Martin Odegaard
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Right-wing: Bukayo Saka vs Dominik Szoboszlai
Mo Salah would be Liverpool’s obvious first-choice pick at right-wing, though he had fallen out of favour before the Africa Cup of Nations. Dominik Szoboszlai has been the man to replace him, but naturally he’s nowhere near Bukayo Saka in terms of quality. Even Salah would have lost this battle. Saka is a threat on the opposition box in both goalscoring and creating. He has averaged 1.3 shots on target and scored 0.3 goals per 90, while providing 0.3 assists from 2.5 chances created.
Saka has also completed 2.2 take-ons per 90, winning 2.3 fouls and averaging 7.2 touches in the opposition box. The only metric that Szoboszlai wins in is for take-on success, completing 58.33% of his attempts. The pair are also equal for through balls.
Winner: Bukayo Saka
Striker: Viktor Gyokeres vs Hugo Ekitike
Hugo Ekitike has done well for Liverpool this season, helping to lessen the impact of Alexander Isak’s slow start to life at Anfield. It has also seen him perform better statistically than Viktor Gyokeres, who is still struggling to find his spot in this Arsenal setup. The Frenchman has averaged more shots per 90 than Gyokeres at 2.4 to 1.8, though they have both hit the target 0.9 times per 90.
Ekitike also has a better conversion rate at 26.67% to 20.83%, while he is more creative too — helped somewhat by some time being played on the wing. Ekitike’s dominance in this matchup comes despite Gyokeres averaging more touches in the opposition box per 90 at 6.6 to 5.9. The Swede is also fouled more often.
Winner: Hugo Ekitike
Left-wing: Leandro Trossard vs Cody Gakpo
This was a close battle, with both Leandro Trossard and Cody Gakpo experiencing good runs of form. Trossard is more of the goal threat, averaging 0.9 shots on target per 90 and 0.5 goals, compared to Gakpo’s 0.6 shots on target and 0.4 goals. The pair have averaged the same amount of chances created at 1.8 per 90, but Trossard does have the edge on assists.
Gakpo is generally better in the duel, though. He has averaged 1.3 take-ons completed per 90 with 53.12% success rate — dwarfing Trossard’s return. Gakpo is also fouled slightly more and has more touches in the opposition box.
Winner: Leandro Trossard
