TV info for Americans: 11 am ET, NBCSN
What's at stake today: An Arsenal win would bring them even on points with Southampton, currently occupying the fifth spot on the table. A six-goal wallopin' would allow them to be dead even on points and goal difference. Speaking of wallopin', Arsenal's last trip to Anfield ended with them on the wrong end of a 5-1 shellackin', though as we noted in the match preview, it's a whole different looking Liverpool this year. You could say that Liverpool is missing its former bite-inclined Uruguayan forward a little bit this season.
Lineups:
#Arsenal team v Liverpool: Szczesny, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Chambers, Gibbs, Flamini, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Alexis, Giroud, Welbeck
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) December 21, 2014
#Arsenal subs: Martinez, Monreal, Coquelin, Maitland-Niles, Campbell, Walcott, Podolski #LFCvAFC
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) December 21, 2014
Confirmed #LFC starting line-up v @Arsenal: Jones, Toure, Skrtel, Sakho, Lucas, Henderson, Markovic, Coutinho, Gerrard, Lallana, Sterling
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 21, 2014
Confirmed #LFC subs v @Arsenal: Mignolet, Enrique, Lambert, Moreno, Manquillo, Can, Borini
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 21, 2014
You'll notice Calum Chambers is back from yellow-card vacation and is deputizing in centerback playing right back (what?) while Mathieu Debuchy fills in at center back for the still-injured Laurent Koscielny. Giroud and Welbz are playing together. Ox joins Flamini in the double pivot. The offense includes Alexis and Santi Cazorla, quite the dynamic duo of late.
On the 'Pool side of things, Dejan Lovren and Glen Johnson are conspicuously missing from the back line with injuries, and Brad Jones is staying in as starting keeper. Brad Jones!
Happy Shortest Day of the year, y'all. Let's get these three points.