Liverpool play Arsenal on Sunday afternoon at the Emirates Stadium (4.30pm) in the latest Premier League challenge for head coach Arne Slot.
Anthony Taylor will be in the middle as Liverpool meet Premier League title rivals Arsenal on Sunday looking to extend their lead at the summit of England’s top-flight. Arne Slot’s team head into that encounter after ensuring there was no international break hangover thanks to wins over Chelsea and RB Leipzig in the Champions League.
During the hectic run of fixtures, the Reds navigated through the tricky tests, overcoming the west Londoners at Anfield, before Darwin Nunez’s first-half strike was enough to help Liverpool pick up maximum points in Germany on Wednesday.
The difficult encounters continue with a trip to north London this Sunday as they take on Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. Taylor has officiated in more Liverpool matches than any other club – including twice this season – with the Reds winning 34 of the 62 games the Manchester-born official has been in charge of.
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The 46-year-old was in the middle for last season’s 3-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium – for Liverpool – as Jurgen Klopp’s side were on the wrong end of that title showdown. Out of the 50 Arsenal matches that Taylor has been the referee for, the Gunners have lost just eight times – winning 30 and drawing 12.
He was in the middle for the goalless draw with Manchester City last season, while Arsenal’s last win with Taylor refereeing was that triumph over Liverpool in the capital. It was during that battle that former Liverpool manager Klopp reignited his feud with the official.
The German was left fuming by a decision to send off Ibrahima Konate as he argued: “A lot of things were against us. This referee gave me a red card against Man City for wrestling situation between Bernardo Silva and Mohamed Salah.
“Today same situation with [Diogo] Jota but didn’t get a red card. It’s unbelievable, then the holding of Kai Havertz on Konate for the first yellow card.”
Klopp added: “Then Havertz goes down and the referee gives Konate a yellow card. Gabriel then does the same to Nunez and no yellow card.”
Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn will assist Taylor. Michael Salisbury and Darren Cann will be at Stockley Park, as VAR (video assistant referee) and assistant VAR for the title showdown.
Last Sunday, Slot picked up his first booking as Liverpool’s manager after a rare outburst during his early tenure in the Anfield hotseat. The Dutchman took umbrage with the decision not to award a penalty for a foul on Mohamed Salah and, later in the exchange, Slot was left aghast after Nunez was penalised for a shoulder barge.
