Arsenal made eight changes to their side on Thursday night as Mikel Arteta gave his fringe players an opportunity just three days before Liverpool make the trip south.
Both Liverpool and Arsenal had midweek European commitments before their league meeting on Sunday, with the Reds securing a win on Tuesday and the Gunners doing the same on Thursday.
While Jurgen Klopp fielded a strong XI against Rangers, Arteta made eight changes to his side, who eased to a 3-0 victory over Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt.
Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White, William Saliba, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Thomas Partey, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus were all taken out of the team who inflicted a 3-1 defeat on Tottenham.
A valuable rest for a host of Arteta’s key players just days before Liverpool’s visit, and another confidence boost injected throughout the squad after a near-spotless start to the season.
The Gunners had Eddie Nketiah, Rob Holding and Fabio Vieira to thank for their ninth win of the season across all competitions on Thursday, and their fourth in a row.
Their only blemish came at Man United in September thanks to a 3-1 defeat, but they remain at the top of the Premier League table with 21 points, 11 ahead of Liverpool in ninth.
Arsenal will be expected to welcome back their eight regulars into the XI on Sunday, including Zinchenko who suffered cramp on his return from injury against Spurs.
And of those who were rested from the XI, four came off the bench – none played more than 32 minutes having all but secured the win before the half-hour mark.
Like Arteta, Klopp does not have any fresh injury concerns heading into Sunday’s clash and both Caoimhin Kelleher and Ibrahima Konate could be named in their first league squad of the season.
Arsenal XI vs. Bodo/Glimt: Turner; Tomiyasu, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney; Vieira, Lokonga, Xhaka; Marquinhos, Nketiah, Martinelli
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