Picking the Strongest Liverpool Team to Down Arsenal

Liverpool will be looking to get back to winning ways in the Premier League on Wednesday having suffered a disappointing and embarrassing loss at Oldham Athletic on Sunday in the FA Cup Fourth Round.

The Reds face a tough trip to the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal, with Brendan Rodgers having a few selections to make in key areas which may help decide the outcome of the game.

Much of the Liverpool side picks itself at present, but the boss will expect, above all else, a much more committed and fighting display from his side than the one he got at Oldham.

Earlier in the season the Reds were beaten by Arsenal at Anfield so they will be hoping to pick up the three points themselves this time around—but they have yet to beat any club placed above them in the Premiership this season.

A win for Liverpool would put them level on points with the Gunners, so no further inspiration should be required for the Reds who still have faint hopes of reaching the Champions League.

Here is the side which might be best suited to trying to overcome the Gunners.

Goalkeeper: Pepe Reina

With Pepe Reina having been struggling with injury recently for the second time this season, Brad Jones was handed another opportunity to impress for a couple of matches.

The Australian stopper kept a clean sheet against Norwich last week—but spilled more than one tame shot against Oldham and was certainly complicit in conceding at least one of the goals against the Latics, as part of an overall very weak defensive Liverpool performance.

That, coupled with Reina's return to fitness, should see the Spaniard restored between the sticks with few questions asked.

Reina hasn't been hugely convincing himself all season long, but a recent upturn in form will hopefully be the catalyst for him to play a big part over the remainder of the campaign.

Full-Backs: Andre Wisdom and Glen Johnson

Andre Wisdom was subbed off during the second half of Liverpool's defeat to Oldham, but he was far from the worst player on the pitch—it was a tactical switch to allow Steven Gerrard to play in midfield more than anything else.

Wisdom has been largely solid and dependable for much of the campaign and should keep his place at right-back.

On the left, Glen Johnson missed the cup game through muscle fatigue, but is fit to be in the squad to visit Arsenal.

Arguably the best full-back in the country this season, Johnson is a must-play and can be a big attacking threat for the Reds as well as playing very well in the defensive third.

With the in-form Theo Walcott likely to play from the right again, the Reds need their left-back to be on their game too.

Given the choice between Johnson and the recuperating Jose Enrique, there's only one option.

Central Defenders: Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger

Jamie Carragher hasn't been able to start too often in the Premier League this season, but he played well enough in keeping a clean sheet against Norwich City last week.

With Martin Skrtel suffering another dip in form and losing his place, it is imperative that Liverpool's back line is kept as resolute as possible—and that means Carragher, even if he is not the force he once was.

The club vice-captain brings organisation and communication to the defence even without considering his determined approach and technical defensive attributes, and that is something missing too often these days from Liverpool's all-round play.

Daniel Agger will be the other centre-back.

Deep Central Midfielders: Lucas Leiva and Steven Gerrard

This area of the team picks itself at present.

Having started the campaign with six central midfielders capable of filling these two positions in particular, Brendan Rodgers will almost certainly be looking at his squad right now and thinking he doesn't have a choice which duo to start with.

Lucas Leiva is the only real defensive midfielder, and Steven Gerrard has excelled in the past two months operating in a deep playmaking role, with licence to roam forward.

Those two will be hugely important in dictating how much success the Reds have against Arsenal. In the Anfield game Liverpool were overrun in the centre, with the midfield shape not coherent and the energy and pressing levels sorely lacking.

Teams have shown how to trouble Arsenal in midfield in recent games—Liverpool will need to put a real shift in to gain control of the ball and keep Arsenal on the back foot.

Advanced Midfield and Support Forward: Jordan Henderson and Luis Suarez

Fresh from captaining Liverpool for the first time, Luis Suarez will be hoping to continue his excellent scoring streak this season by leading Liverpool's attack at Arsenal.

It is likely that the Reds should opt for a similar system as to the one which worked against Norwich; Jordan Henderson and Luis Suarez in loose, rotating roles which sees one work the centre and the other the left channel.

Nobody particularly covered the left wing itself—another advantage of having Johnson at left-back, who can occupy it himself—but both pressed hard very high up the pitch and alternated where they attacked on the ball.

Suarez will roam largely wherever he feels like, but it's important that Liverpool aren't overrun in midfield.

That's where the work-rate and stamina of Henderson comes in; he'll have to double-up as another midfielder, dropping in when he can, to ensure the Reds don't cede territory too often to the home side.

Right Wing and Centre Forward: Stewart Downing and Daniel Sturridge

Keeping the shape and the balance of the team by leaving one player wide, Liverpool allow their rotating movement through the centre to remain effective by having Stewart Downing stretch the pitch down the right wing.

Always an outlet in the final third, Downing's presence also means that young right-back Andre Wisdom is not required to push forward as often, thereby maintaining extra cover in defence.

Such has Downing's fortune changed over the past couple of months that he was called upon and expected to help the team turn around a 3-1 deficit against Oldham on Sunday. He couldn't do it that particular time but he is still playing well enough to have a big say in how many good chances Liverpool can create against Arsenal.

Daniel Sturridge will play as the central striker; he was unable to make it a record-breaking four goals in four games against Oldham but will hope to net for the third consecutive league game since signing for Liverpool.

Sturridge has looked sharp, willing and has linked up well with Suarez—more of the same is needed to beat the Gunners.

Substitutes

Brendan Rodgers has far more options available to him now than a month ago in the final third, but the problem he has now is that too many of his squad options are not in great form—are they capable of changing the game when called upon?

Even so, Liverpool's squad is not big enough to leave out too many senior players so it should be a fairly routine subs' bench on Wednesday.

Goalkeeper: Brad Jones

Defenders: Martin Skrtel and Jose Enrique

Midfielders; Joe Allen and Jonjo Shelvey

Attackers: Fabio Borini and Raheem Sterling.

Suso would really be the only missing name who might expect, or hope, for some involvement at least, but young defenders Sebastian Coates and Jack Robinson are the only ones missing from the entire squad who started against Oldham.

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