Liverpool have wasted no time in putting their January transfer plans into action in the week building up to meeting Arsenal in the FA Cup. The Premier League’s top two drew each other in the third round of the competition last month will now face off three times in just eight weeks.
It was just over a week ago that they drew 1-1 at Anfield in an electric match at Anfield, a game that the Gunners were perhaps fortunate to take anything away from despite getting an early lead. They will now face off in north London for a place in the FA Cup hat for the next round before a potentially season defining fixture at the same venue comes in early February.
For Mikel Arteta’s men, the game has taken on heightened importance having suffered a late blip in 2023. His side were beaten in their last two games of the year, failing to win their last three, and have tasted victory just once in all competitions in the last five.
The Gunners were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup in disappointing fashion away to West Ham earlier this season and have gone three seasons without lifting a major trophy despite returning to challenge at the top of the league. It only goes to add to the spectacle of the standout tie at this stage.
Although they remain well in the mix for the Premier League title at the halfway point, there are nagging questions for Arteta to answer with performances all season failing to match the same standards of last year. Jurgen Klopp has managed to reinvigorate his team and is looking to push on having already reached the League Cup semi-finals.
It is under this umbrella that the Reds are acting quickly to get their business done. Missing Mohamed Salah for at least the first three quarters of January due to his involvement at the African Cup of Nations with Egypt, Liverpool will need to replace one of their standout players this season.
Salah has 12 goals and seven assists already this term, seven more strikes than any of this teammates as the exciting attack struggles to click into top gear. Although there have been spectacular goals and some stunning wins so far there has also been a fair share of scrappy results and late points for Klopp.
Replacing Salah is still a near-impossible task, too. However, the first piece of business has been done at Anfield and it could impact any possible incomings throughout the month. Announcing the deal on December 31, Liverpool confirmed that young attacker Fabio Carvalho had returned to the club from his loan spell at RB Leipzig.
The 21-year-old only played nine times in Bundesliga, starting just one game and failing to score or assist a single goal. He nearly played as much in the Champions League as he did domestic competitions and is now looking to try and turn things around having had a disappointing time of things since his arrival in Merseyside in 2022.
Moving from Fulham for £5million he came with high expectations having shone in the Championship. The Portuguese attacker was an outsider for Klopp last year though and will have to prove plenty against the odds if he is to offer any sort of cover for Salah over the coming weeks.
What is more likely is a possible second loan of the season. Meanwhile it is Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo tasked with providing the real threat in the absence of their star attacking teammate.
Arsenal will have to prepare for all eventualities and obstacles in their way. Any Liverpool side without Salah is kinder on the eye for the opposition though, even if Arteta himself is without some key players too.
