Liverpool’s champions tour continues as Arne Slot’s side prepare to receive a guard of honour from closest title challengers Arsenal ahead of their clash at Anfield.
The Reds were crowned Premier League victors two weeks ago after thrashing Tottenham 5-1, with the result condemning the Gunners to a third successive failed title charge. Mikel Arteta’s side will now need to pick themselves up from Wednesday night’s heartbreak in the Champions League semi-finals against Paris Saint-Germain, with the new objective to secure second place and avoid total ignominy after a season that promised much but delivered little.
Liverpool, too, will want a response at Anfield after losing to Chelsea last weekend in their first game as the newly-crowned champions. While there is little to gain for Slot and his squad with such a dominant title success, a petering out would not be desired. Once thought a possible title decider, the stakes may be lower today but a captivating affair could yet await.
Follow all of the latest from Anfield with our live blog below:
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Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE
- Liverpool host Arsenal as their champions tour continues | Kick-off at 4.30pm BST live on Sky Sports
- The Gunners will have to grit through giving a guard of honour to Arne Slot's side
- Conor Bradley starts for Liverpool after Trent Alexander-Arnold confirmed his exit
- Liverpool XI: Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai; Salah, Diaz, Gakpo
- Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Partey, Merino, Odegaard; Saka, Martinelli, Trossard
Liverpool FC - Arsenal FC
Arsenal's unbeaten run at rivals
15:55
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Jamie Braidwood
Arsenal’s last Premier League defeat to a traditional “big six” rival - ie, Liverpool, Man City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham - was at the Etihad in April 2023.
Arsenal have drawn their last three visits to Anfield in the Premier League and last lost against Liverpool away from home in November 2021 (4-0).
After Trent Alexander-Arnold exit, Arne Slot may have to undo one of Jurgen Klopp’s greatest moves
15:50
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Harry Latham-Coyle
It really does feel a big day for Conor Bradley - but could a tactical rethink be required to compensate for the loss of the creativity that Trent Alexander-Arnold provides? Richard Jolly analyses the possibilities.
Arsenal have company
15:40
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Suddenly, Arsenal might just be looking over their shoulders rather than up ahead of them at Liverpool. Newcastle’s crucial win over Chelsea earlier has moved Eddie Howe’s side to within a point of the presumed runners-up - and they travel to the Emirates Stadium next week...
Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal are 'very close' to achieving true success
15:30
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Harry Latham-Coyle
It’s no doubt been a difficult week for Mikel Arteta, the positive direction of his project still obvious but another season without a major trophy coming and going. He insisted on Friday that the breakthrough will come for Arsenal.
"I have so much to achieve and that is what drives me every day,” Arteta said. “The people and the staff and the players drive me every single day.
"If there is somebody that has raised the standard and the expectation the highest, it has been me. Because I have been demanding and expecting much more, and after that much more, and after that much more.
"For me it is the only way to do it, for everybody to have really high standards and demands.
"We are very, very close to achieving it. I understand the disappointment and the criticism. It is all part of it.
"At the end there is one winner and the rest of them aren't going to win, so they need to reinvent themselves and do better and that is part of the cycle."
Declan Rice injured as Ben White returns
15:23
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Jamie Braidwood
There are two changes for Arsenal from the defeat at Paris Saint-Germain. Declan Rice misses out through injury so Mikel Merino drops into midfield and Leandro Trossard starts. The other changes sees Ben White replace Jurren Timber at right back.
⚫️
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 11, 2025
⚡️ White in at right-back
Merino drops into midfield
Trossard leads the line
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!
Conor Bradley and Curtis Jones start for Liverpool
15:20
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Jamie Braidwood
Arne Slot confirmed that Conor Bradley would be starting on Friday and the right back takes the place of Trent Alexander-Arnold after recovering from injury. Liverpool revert to a stronger team as they return to Anfield. Curtis Jones starts ahead of Alexis Mac Allister in midfield but Luis Diaz, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ibrahima Konate, Andy Robertson are all back.
The champions to face Arsenal #LIVARS
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 11, 2025
Liverpool vs Arsenal confirmed team news and line-ups
15:17
,
Jamie Braidwood
Confirmed line-ups
Liverpool XI: Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai; Salah, Diaz, Gakpo
Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Partey, Merino, Odegaard; Saka, Martinelli, Trossard
Team news on the way...
15:12
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Harry Latham-Coyle
Right, we know Conor Bradley is set to start for Liverpool - but who will be joining him? We should know in the next five minutes or so...
Arne Slot will not compare ‘talented’ Conor Bradley to Trent Alexander-Arnold
15:00
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Harry Latham-Coyle
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot insists Conor Bradley should not be compared to Trent Alexander-Arnold as the 21-year-old is given a chance to stake his claim to become first-choice right-back.
Alexander-Arnold’s pending departure at the end of the season, having chosen not to extend his contract, leaves the club with only one recognised specialist in the position.
Slot has already intimated buying in a replacement will not be easy for the Premier League champions because of the transfer fee involved but he also does not want to put too much pressure on the youngster.
He has, however, decided to start him against Arsenal as the Northern Ireland international was not fully fit last weekend.
Mohamed Salah wins Footballer of the Year award to match Thierry Henry’s record
14:45
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Harry Latham-Coyle
There was another prize, meanwhile, for Liverpool on Friday, with Mohamed Salah voted men’s Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association (FWA).
Pain of guard of honour for Liverpool can motivate Arsenal next season – Arteta
14:30
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Harry Latham-Coyle
Mikel Arteta has said he wants the pain of performing a guard of honour for Liverpool to act as Arsenal’s motivation to beat their rivals to the Premier League title next season.
Arteta’s players will stand and applaud the champions ahead of today’s fixture at Anfield, only four days after they were eliminated from the Champions League.
Arsenal’s failure to see off Paris Saint Germain in their semi-final tie means their five-year wait for silverware will be extended into another campaign.
Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal have ‘gone a step backwards’ in league this season
14:15
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Mikel Arteta has admitted for the first time that Arsenal have gone backwards in the Premier League this season.
The Gunners will end the campaign empty-handed for a fifth consecutive year following their Champions League semi-final exit to Paris St Germain earlier this week.
And they will now form a guard of honour for their rivals Liverpool today after Arne Slot’s side secured the title with four matches remaining.
Inside Arsenal’s biggest transfer window in a generation and the missing pieces needed to become champions
14:00
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
So it looks like second again for Arsenal in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s side having built so well over the last few years but still yet to take the next step. It sets up a truly vital summer - Miguel Delaney has the inside story on the club’s plans to find the missing pieces they need.
Martin Odegaard gives verdict on why Arsenal crashed out of Champions League
13:45
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The Arsenal skipper was perhaps a little less punchy than his manager, but Martin Odegaard nonetheless made his disappointment clear in midweek:
Mikel Arteta comments reveal Arsenal delusion and why other clubs dislike them
13:30
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Were those comments just made in error in the heat and pain of defeat, or did they reveal a delusion at the heart of Arsenal? Miguel Delaney thinks the latter:
Mikel Arteta brands Arsenal as the best team in the Champions League after PSG heartbreak
13:15
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Champions League finalists they not be but Mikel Arteta still claimed Arsenal were the best team in the competition this season...
The fatal mistake that sealed Arsenal’s demise against PSG
13:00
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
To the visitors, then, and it’s been a tough week to stomach for Arsenal. An excellent first half in Paris proved not to be enough as PSG held firm - leaving Mikel Arteta to rue the missed opportunities on the night and across a season that has promised much but delivered little. Miguel Delaney watched on.
How Liverpool’s ‘Achraf Hakimi’ challenge can reveal Trent Alexander-Arnold lesson
12:40
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Yes, the right-back position could be a fascinating one for Arne Slot this summer. Will he recruit from elsewhere or trust Conor Bradley? Richard Jolly examines the situation.
Arne Slot confirms Conor Bradley will start ahead of departing Trent Alexander-Arnold
12:30
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
There will be no Trent Alexander-Arnold in the Liverpool starting line-up today, with Conor Bradley given a chance to impress - and perhaps seize the right-back shirt for next season.
Why Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool exit does not make him a traitor
12:20
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Harry Latham-Coyle
There has been a bit of criticism for Trent Alexander-Arnold from certain prominent figures connected with Liverpool, an academy graduate’s departure in the wake of a Premier League success always likely to get emotions running high. Richard Jolly explains why Alexander-Arnold is perfectly entitled to find pastures new after a transformative spell at the club:
Trent Alexander-Arnold explains decision to leave Liverpool in emotional video message
12:10
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Since then, though, the departure of a homegrown star has been confirmed. It was not necessarily a surprise to see Trent Alexander-Arnold announce his exit as he seeks a new challenge away from Anfield.
Inside the red mist: How Liverpool fans celebrated a title triumph 35 years in the making
12:00
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Harry Latham-Coyle
What a day it was a fortnight ago for the Liverpool fans, able to truly relish a triumph having been denied the chance to celebrate properly after their breakthrough Premier League success under Jurgen Klopp. Kieran Jackson was there to soak up the atmosphere.
Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE
11:25
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The champions are back at Anfield ready to celebrate their title triumph, Liverpool hosting Arsenal in a meeting once thought a possible decider but now with significantly lower stakes. Can Mikel Arteta’s men bounce back from Champions League exit?
Kick off is at 4.30pm BST.
