Arsenal vs Liverpool Preview: How to Watch Community Shield on TV, Live Stream, Kick Off Time & Team

A mere 28 days on from their FA Cup final triumph, Arsenal face Premier League champions Liverpool in the FA Community Shield on Saturday afternoon.

The last meeting between these two teams produced one of the upsets of the season, as Arsenal capitalised upon two rare mistakes from a Liverpool side who had already been crowned top flight winners to snatch a 2-1 win.

The traditional season opener has more importance than a pre-season friendly, but...well, we'll leave other people to argue about how much it means. Both sides will likely use the opportunity to build match fitness before sizeable chunks of each squad is swept away on international duty next week.


Where to Watch

When Is Kick Off? Saturday 29 August
What Time Is Kick Off? 16:30 (BST)
Where Is it Played? Wembley Stadium
TV Channel/Live Stream? BT Sport 1/BT Sport Ultimate
Referee? Andre Marriner


Team News

Arsenal have had a quartet of players ruled out through injury. Defensive duo Shkodran Mustafi and Pablo Mari are set to return in October and September respectively, but Gabriel Martinelli and Calum Chambers are sidelined for the rest of the calendar year with knee injuries.

Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold didn't travel with the squad on their preseason trip to Austria and is unlikely to feature on Saturday, while Jordan Henderson and Joël Matip will be back in the early stages of the Premier League season but may not be risked for the meeting with Arsenal.

Virgil van Dijk picked up a knock in the friendly against RB Salzburg on Tuesday but is set for a swift return, whereas Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will miss a reunion with his former side as he is sidelined for an extended period with a knee injury.


Predicted Lineups

Arsenal: Leno; Soares, Saliba, Holding, Tierney; Willock, Xhaka, Torreira; Pépé, Nketiah, Aubameyang.

Liverpool: Alisson; Williams, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Fabinho, Keita; Salah, Firmino, Mané.


Recent Form

Arsenal are still very much a work in progress under Mikel Arteta. While the 38-year-old was unable to guide the Gunners back into the European places via their league position, the FA Cup victory over Chelsea ensured continental football and saved the club from an even worse financial standing.

Arsenal's only friendly of the shortened pre-season produced a comfortable 4-1 win against League One's MK Dons.

Having dropped just seven points from their first 31 Premier League matches, Liverpool somehow gave up eight after their first top-flight title in 30 years was confirmed.

Without the distraction of Champions League football in August, Liverpool have been able to regroup and recover in this shortened off-period. 20-year-old striker Rhian Brewster - who impressed on loan at Swansea last season - scored three goals across the club's two preseason friendlies and may fill the role of Roberto Firmino's understudy this season.

Here's how both sides fared in their previous five fixtures.

Arsenal

Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea (1/8)
Arsenal 3-2 Watford (26/7)
Aston Villa 1-0 Arsenal (21/7)
Arsenal 2-0 Manchester City (18/7)
Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool (15/7)

Liverpool

Newcastle 1-3 Liverpool (26/7)
Liverpool 5-3 Chelsea (22/7)
Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool (15/7)
Liverpool 1-1 Burnley (11/7)
Brighton 1-3 Liverpool (8/7)


Prediction

Arsenal's final five games of the previous campaign included wins against three of last season's top four but also a rather limp defeat to Aston Villa, who only narrowly avoided relegation.

Arteta turned to a three-man defence for the conclusion of the campaign, which worked well when Arsenal could hurt their opponents on the counter-attack and often involved a healthy dollop of good fortune.

Liverpool, after enjoying a much-needed rest following a mammoth, 57-game season, are unlikely to be as sloppy in possession and blunt in attack as they were when the sides last met in July.

Prediction: Arsenal 1-3 Liverpool


Source : 90min